Malaysia's Support For Palestine Remains Firm, Says PM Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 6 (Bernama) -- Malaysia’s commitment to defending the rights of the Palestinian people remains consistent, not only through strong statements on the international stage, but also by working closely with regional and global leaders, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today.

In a Facebook post, Anwar said that he reiterated the country’s commitment on this matter during a phone call with Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian today.

He said Pezeshkian had expressed appreciation for Malaysia’s firm stance on the issue of Gaza and urged Malaysia to continue leading diplomatic efforts to oppose the ongoing atrocities and acts of genocide in Palestine.

“I reiterated our consistent commitment not only through strong statements on the international stage, but also by working closely with regional and global leaders, including the Presidents of Indonesia, Turkiye, Brazil, and South Africa. The world must not remain silent in the face of such grave violations of humanity,” he posted.

Anwar said that during the phone conversation, he and Pezeshkian also discussed Malaysia-Iran bilateral relations and agreed to further strengthen the longstanding friendship, particularly in areas of mutual benefit.

“President Pezeshkian also extended an official invitation for me to visit Tehran, and I conveyed my appreciation for his readiness to deepen cooperation between our two countries,” the Prime Minister said.

In 2024, Iran was Malaysia's seventh-largest trading partner in West Asia with a trade volume of USD570 million (RM2.6 billion), an increase of 24.6 per cent compared to 2023.

In 2023, Malaysia was Iran's largest trading partner among ASEAN member states and the 19th largest globally.

-- BERNAMA