Anwar receives Aidiladha greetings from Iranian president, reaffirms support for Palestine

New Straits Times

3 days ago

KUALA LUMPUR: In the spirit of Aidiladha, which upholds the values of sacrifice and justice, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim expressed appreciation for the steadfastness of Iranian President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian in defending the plight of the Palestinian people, particularly in Gaza.
In a phone call with Masoud on Thursday, Anwar said Malaysia stands firmly with Iran in strongly rejecting all forms of occupation and the ongoing expulsion of Gaza's people, who continue to be oppressed by the Zionist Israeli regime.
"I also conveyed that Malaysia's foreign policy is not dictated by external powers but is built on national interests and firm convictions.
"Malaysia condemns the hypocrisy of certain countries that claim to uphold human rights yet silently allow mass killings without any dignified action. Silence in the face of oppression is a betrayal of universal human values," he said in a statement on Facebook.
Anwar said Masoud also extended Aidiladha greetings for the celebration on Saturday.
Anwar prayed that haj pilgrims from both nations currently in the holy city of Makkah would be granted a blessed haj and contribute to the development of the 'Ummah' upon returning to their respective countries.
The prime minister also expressed gratitude to Masoud for his noble efforts in facilitating the repatriation of two Malaysian citizens previously detained in Iran.
He said during the conversation, he conveyed appreciation to Masoud following the recent visits by Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu and Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir to Tehran, as part of joint efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation.
He noted that the cooperation spans education, technology, food security, trade, investment and the oil and gas sector.
"In the same discussion, Malaysia welcomes the decision to resume Mahan Air flights from Tehran to Kuala Lumpur, which will undoubtedly open more opportunities and avenues for economic ties and people-to-people connections," he said.