Malaysia ready to support negotiated end to Middle East conflict – Anwar

9 March 2026

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia stands ready to support any credible effort toward a negotiated cessation of hostilities amid the escalating conflict across the Gulf and wider West Asia region, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.

Anwar said Malaysia also welcomed calls for restraint emerging from the highest levels in Iran, describing them as an encouraging development that should be taken seriously.

He said the calls were in line with the principled bipartisan stance taken by the Malaysian Parliament, emphasising that restraint and dialogue remain crucial in preventing further escalation.

“While there will always be voices advocating a tougher approach, history has rarely been kind to those who chose escalation over negotiation when opportunities for dialogue still existed.

“Keeping the door to dialogue open requires real courage,” he said in a social media post on Monday.

However, Anwar warned that the situation across the Gulf and the wider West Asia region remains deeply alarming, noting that several countries have faced repeated attacks amid the escalating conflict.

He said the violence has affected Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, while its impact has also extended to Azerbaijan, Jordan and Turkey.

“Energy facilities, water installations and other infrastructure that millions depend on for daily life have been hit.

“The world’s oil and shipping routes run through these waters. Disruption here carries consequences far beyond the region,” he said.

Anwar also called on the international community to act with urgency and purpose to prevent the conflict from claiming more lives and drawing more nations into the crisis.