No plans to close Strait of Hormuz, regional trade route protected, says Iran envoy
PETALING JAYA: Trade passage through the Strait of Hormuz will remain open and unaffected as Iran seeks to deepen its economic ties with Malaysia and Asean countries, says Iranian Ambassador to Malaysia Valiollah Mohammadi Nasrabadi.
Valiollah said Iran's assurance, despite its ongoing conflict with Israel, was to protect international trade and the economic interests of South-East Asian countries, like Malaysia, as reported by Sinar Harian.
He also said that Iran currently had no intention to close the key trade route and will continue to maintain security for the Strait.
'Iran does not restrict any trade routes and we want this region to remain open for trade and economic cooperation with neighbouring countries, as well as external partners like Malaysia,' he said in a press conference on Thursday (June 26).
He added that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian recently held discussions to ensure regional peace and establish a framework for trade cooperation between Malaysia and Iran.
Valiollah also expressed his gratitude to Malaysia for its support of Iran against Israel's recent military actions against them.
'Malaysia, as the current Asean Chair, has a strong voice at the international level, including in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the United Nations (UN), to stop Israel.
'We believe Malaysia can play a role in urging the international community to put an end to any form of Israeli aggression against any country in the region,' he said.
On Sunday (June 22), Iran's parliament approved a measure to close the Strait of Hormuz in response to the United State's airstrikes on three of Iran's major nuclear sites.
The Strait of Hormuz currently provides a vital gateway for oil transportation internationally, which Malaysia is a key stakeholder of.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
33 minutes ago
- The Sun
ASEAN welcomes Israel-Iran ceasefire, urges respect for truce
PUTRAJAYA: ASEAN foreign ministers have welcomed the ceasefire between Israel and Iran, urging all parties to uphold the truce and prevent a resurgence of conflict in the Middle East. In a statement on Thursday, the ministers expressed concern over the escalation of tensions in the Middle East since June 13. The ceasefire came into effect on June 24. 'We reaffirm the obligation of all States to resolve their differences through peaceful means and to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations, in line with international law, including the United Nations (UN) Charter. 'We further reiterate the obligation to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure in armed conflicts consistent with international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions,' the statement read. Meanwhile, the foreign ministers expressed ASEAN's support for ongoing efforts, including those led by the UN, to de-escalate tensions and encourage constructive engagement among all parties involved. 'We also re-emphasise our shared commitment to providing emergency assistance to ASEAN nationals, in accordance with the ASEAN Declaration on the Guidelines on Consular Assistance by ASEAN Member States' Missions in Third Countries to Nationals of Other ASEAN Member States. 'This includes the Guidelines for the Provision of Emergency Assistance by ASEAN Missions in Third Countries to Nationals of ASEAN Member Countries in Crisis Situations,' it said.
The Sun
33 minutes ago
- The Sun
Netanyahu asks court to postpone corruption trial summons: lawyer
JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked a court on Thursday to postpone his testimony in his long-running corruption trial, after US President Donald Trump called for the case to be cancelled altogether. In a filing to the tribunal, Netanyahu's lawyer Amit Hadad said the Israeli premier's testimony should be delayed in light of 'regional and global developments'. 'The court is respectfully requested to order the cancellation of the hearings in which the prime minister was scheduled to testify in the coming two weeks,' the filing said. It said Netanyahu was 'compelled to devote all his time and energy to managing national, diplomatic and security issues of the utmost importance' following a brief conflict with Iran and during ongoing fighting in Gaza where Israeli hostages are held. Trump on Wednesday described the case against Netanyahu as a 'witch hunt'. In a message on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the Netanyahu trial 'should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero', after the end of a 12-day war with Iran. Israel's opposition leader on Thursday warned Trump against interfering in Israel's internal affairs. 'We are thankful to President Trump, but... the president should not interfere in a judicial trial in an independent country,' Yair Lapid said in an interview with news website Ynet. Netanyahu is Israel's longest-serving prime minister. In the trial that has been delayed many times since it began in May 2020, Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing. In a first case, Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, are accused of accepting more than $260,000 worth of luxury goods such as cigars, jewellery and champagne from billionaires in exchange for political favours. In two other cases, Netanyahu is accused of attempting to negotiate more favourable coverage in two Israeli media outlets.
The Sun
43 minutes ago
- The Sun
Russia says against Iran suspending IAEA cooperation
MOSCOW: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday spoke out against Moscow's key ally Iran suspending cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), after Iranian lawmakers voted in favour of halting work with the UN nuclear agency. 'We are interested in continuing cooperation between Iran and the IAEA, so that everybody respects Iran's repeated statements that Iran does not have and will not have plans to develop a nuclear weapon,' Lavrov said at a press conference in Moscow. The decision by Iranian lawmakers, taken after a 12-day war that saw Israeli and US strikes on nuclear sites, still requires the approval of Iran's Guardian Council, a body empowered to vet legislation. Lavrov said the decision was of 'an advisory nature' to Iran's executive branch. Moscow provides crucial backing for Tehran but did not swing forcefully behind its partner even as the United States launched strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities over the weekend. Russia and Iran signed a milestone strategic agreement earlier this year, but it does provide for mutual assistance in the case of aggression. Iran is Russia's second close ally to come under pressure in the Middle East in recent months, after Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria was toppled last December. It could be a sign that Russia's influence in the region is waning, as Moscow has to relocate resources and divert attention to its Ukraine offensive, according to Nikita Smagin, an independent expert on Russia-Iran relations. Russia 'is potentially losing its status as a superpower, at least as it perceived in the Middle East', he told AFP, adding that 'its allies are being simply knocked out of the game, one after another'.
