Anwar welcomes Pakistan’s offer to host US-Iran talks

2026-03-25 - 13:10

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim commended his Pakistani counterpart, Shehbaz Sharif, for stepping forward to facilitate diplomacy. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has welcomed Pakistan’s offer to host a dialogue between the US and Iran, commending his counterpart, Shehbaz Sharif, and leaders of other friendly nations for stepping forward to facilitate diplomacy. In a Facebook post today, Anwar said Pakistan’s standing “as a credible voice in the Muslim world” places it in a strong position to help create the conditions for meaningful negotiation. He encouraged the US and Iran to respond “in the spirit in which it was offered”. “I note with cautious hope the signals, however incomplete, that suggest some space for diplomacy may still exist. That space should be treated with the seriousness it deserves. “Any negotiation must proceed on the basis of genuine intent: a clear commitment to ending the conflict, not managing its tempo for tactical advantage. “The international community has seen too many ceasefires that function as pauses rather than conclusions,” he said. Shehbaz said yesterday he was willing to host talks between the US and Iran on ending the war, a day after US president Donald Trump postponed threats to bomb Iranian power plants after what he called “productive” talks. Anwar said while Malaysia reaffirms Iran’s right to defend its sovereignty, all parties should exercise maximum restraint to ensure civilians and the infrastructure of the neighbouring Gulf states are “not drawn further into a conflict they did not choose”. “The Gulf states, the region and the world have much at stake economically, socially and in terms of long-term stability, and their peoples must not bear the consequences of decisions taken elsewhere,” he said. He also said he had recently held discussions with leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan and other partners to understand the situation better and advocate for de-escalation. “Malaysia will continue to support every credible effort towards a just and lasting peace,” he said.