Anwar warns US-Iran hostilities risk wider regional conflict, urges return to diplomacy

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 2 — Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has called on the United States and Iran to cease their hostilities and revert to diplomatic negotiations after recent strikes extended beyond the primary nations to other Middle Eastern states, posing a threat of a broader regional conflict. In a Facebook post, Anwar highlighted the superior state's responsibility to exercise restraint and refrain from jeopardizing the sovereignty of other countries.

He emphasized that no military objective can ever warrant subjecting civilians to an escalating conflict. Anwar also cautioned against economic sanctions that cause suffering to civilians and thwart diplomatic efforts, asserting they could worsen the situation rather than help resolve it. The Prime Minister asserted that resolving the dispute requires political and diplomatic measures, warning against compounding the crisis to cause a wider Middle Eastern war.