Latest news with #DiplomaticEfforts
Malay Mail
5 days ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
‘Grave violations of humanity': Anwar urges global action on Gaza in call with Iranian leader
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 6 — Malaysia's commitment to defending the rights of the Palestinian people remains consistent, not only through strong statements on the international stage, but also by working closely with regional and global leaders, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today. In a Facebook post, Anwar said that he reiterated the country's commitment on this matter during a phone call with Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian today. He said Pezeshkian had expressed appreciation for Malaysia's firm stance on the issue of Gaza and urged Malaysia to continue leading diplomatic efforts to oppose the ongoing atrocities and acts of genocide in Palestine. 'I reiterated our consistent commitment not only through strong statements on the international stage, but also by working closely with regional and global leaders, including the Presidents of Indonesia, Turkiye, Brazil, and South Africa. The world must not remain silent in the face of such grave violations of humanity,' he posted. Anwar said that during the phone conversation, he and Pezeshkian also discussed Malaysia-Iran bilateral relations and agreed to further strengthen the longstanding friendship, particularly in areas of mutual benefit. 'President Pezeshkian also extended an official invitation for me to visit Tehran, and I conveyed my appreciation for his readiness to deepen cooperation between our two countries,' the Prime Minister said. In 2024, Iran was Malaysia's seventh-largest trading partner in West Asia with a trade volume of USD570 million (RM2.6 billion), an increase of 24.6 per cent compared to 2023. In 2023, Malaysia was Iran's largest trading partner among ASEAN member states and the 19th largest globally. — Bernama
Daily Mail
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Britain withdraws staff from its Tehran embassy as Israel and Iran continue to trade airstrikes
Britain is pulling UK staff from its embassy in Iran due to Israel 's ongoing bombardment of targets across the country, including the capital Tehran, the Foreign Office has stated. 'We have taken the precautionary measure to temporarily withdraw UK staff from Iran. Our embassy continues to operate remotely,' Britain said on its travel advice website page for Iran. Israel and Iran have been at war since last week after Israel launched military strikes on Iran, which retaliated with waves of missiles. The tit-for-tat strikes continued into today even as diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict got underway. Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy has been urging the two sides to find a diplomatic solution and is currently in Geneva for nuclear talks with Iranian representatives and European counterparts. Meanwhile, Britons stranded in Israel will be evacuated on Government charter flights as soon as the airspace reopens. Downing Street urged UK citizens in the region to register their presence with the Foreign Office as authorities scramble to provide journeys out of Tel Aviv. Number 10 said on Friday morning that the situation remains 'fast-moving' and it will continue to be monitored closely. A spokesman added: 'We are advising British nationals to continue to register their presence in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, to be contactable with further guidance on these flights.' Lammy said work is under way to provide the flights 'based on levels of demand' from UK citizens who want to leave the region. 'The UK will provide charter flights for British nationals from Tel Aviv when airspace reopens,' he said. 'The safety of British nationals remains our top priority.' Government advice for British nationals in the country remains to follow local guidance, as well as to let officials know about their presence within Israel or the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Land routes out of Israel remain open and British staff are on hand to support UK nationals who have crossed the border, he added. The move follows criticism of the Foreign Office's initial response, which saw family members of embassy staff evacuated while UK citizens were not advised to leave and told to follow local guidance. The Government said the move to temporarily withdraw family members had been a 'precautionary measure'. As evacuation flights are arranged, Sir Keir Starmer continues to press for de-escalation in the region after returning from the G7 summit in Canada, where he and other leaders reiterated their commitment to 'peace and stability'. The Prime Minister has also urged Donald Trump to step back from military action against Iran after a series of sabre-rattling posts from the US president on his Truth Social platform. Sir Keir said there is a 'real risk of escalation' in the conflict, adding that there had previously been 'several rounds of discussions' with Washington and 'that, to me, is the way to resolve this issue'. Israeli air strikes reached into the city of Rasht on the Caspian Sea early on Friday, Iranian media reported. Since the conflict erupted last week, at least 657 people, including 263 civilians, have been killed in Iran and more than 2,000 wounded, according to a Washington-based Iranian human rights group called Human Rights Activists. Meanwhile, at least 24 people in Israel have been killed and hundreds more have been injured. It remains unclear whether the UK would join any military action, although there has been speculation US intervention could require using the British-controlled base on Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands. B-2 stealth bombers based there are capable of carrying specialised 'bunker buster' bombs, which could be used against Iran's underground nuclear facility at Fordo. Attorney General Lord Hermer is reported to have raised legal concerns about any British involvement in the conflict beyond defending its allies, which could limit the extent of any support for the US if Mr Trump decides to act militarily. Earlier, Mr Lammy arrived in Geneva for talks with the Iranian foreign minister and European allies as the UK presses for a diplomatic solution to the conflict. He is meeting Abbas Araghchi on Friday alongside counterparts from France, Germany and the EU as he seeks to negotiate a settlement before Mr Trump decides whether to take military action against Tehran. In a statement read by his press secretary on Thursday, the US president said there is still 'a substantial chance of negotiations' and he will make a decision on deploying US forces 'within the next two weeks'. Mr Trump had previously said he 'may' join Israeli strikes against Iran and its nuclear programme, but added: 'I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do.' Friday's meeting with the so-called E3 countries follows Mr Lammy's visit to Washington, where he met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the White House on Thursday evening to discuss 'how a deal could avoid a deepening conflict'.
Times of Oman
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Times of Oman
Oman continues diplomatic push for peaceful resolution in region
Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman continues its intensive diplomatic efforts to encourage the international community to adopt all peaceful means to halt the Israeli aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran. Oman views the escalation as a blatant violation of international, humanitarian, and moral law, and a serious obstruction to dialogue and negotiation efforts aimed at securing a fair U.S.–Iran agreement to prevent nuclear proliferation. In this context, Oman, alongside the Arab Republic of Egypt and several Arab and Islamic countries, issued a joint statement condemning Israeli attacks since June 13, 2025. The statement affirmed their rejection of military escalation, called for respect for state sovereignty, and urged the peaceful resolution of conflicts. The statement also expressed deep concern over the consequences of continued escalation, calling for an end to hostilities, the removal of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction from the region, and emphasised the need to protect nuclear facilities and resume negotiations as the only viable path to resolving the crisis while upholding the freedom of international navigation.
Arab News
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Japan's Foreign Minister avoids sanctioning Israel, criticizes Iran's nuclear 'ambitions'
TOKYO: Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi avoided condemning or approving sanctioning Israel in a press conference on Tuesday, shifting the emphasis onto Iran's alleged pursuit of a nuclear weapon. 'We do not permit Iran's nuclear development, and we believe that solving this through discussion is crucial,' he stated, emphasizing the potential for peaceful resolutions. 'Moving forward, we will continue to exert all necessary diplomatic efforts to prevent further deterioration of the situation (between Iran and Israel.)' When asked by Arab News Japan about the possibility of Israel using nuclear weapons in its conflict with Iran, as well as potentially targeting other countries like Pakistan and Egypt, as suggested by some reports, Iwaya opted not to answer directly. Instead, he stated, 'Our country believes that the current tense situation in the Middle East is detrimental to the international community as a whole. We strongly urge all parties involved, including Israel, to exercise maximum restraint and to de-escalate the situation,' highlighting the urgency of the situation. The Japanese Foreign Minister also said he strongly urged de-escalation when he spoke with Iran's Foreign Minister on Monday, adding that Japan has 'also been making efforts with Israel,' without specifying what those efforts entail or outlining how Japan might influence the situation. Rather, he emphasized Japan's closeness to Israel. 'Israel is, of course, a friendly nation to our country, and we have had long-standing diplomatic relations with Iran, so we believe it is essential for Japan to work toward resolving issues through dialogue and consultation,' he stated. 'The peace and stability of the Middle East are extremely important to our country. The situation is becoming increasingly tense, particularly in Iran. We plan to raise the danger level further and issue evacuation adviseries for the Japanese for the entire country of Iran soon.' Minister Iwaya was confronted about why Japan agreed with its G-7 partners to support so-called Israel's self-defense and condemn Iran after Tokyo initially condemned Israel immediately when it launched a preemptive attack on Iran. The Japanese Foreign Minister justified the change in the position, saying: 'Initially, there were attacks from Israel that we condemned, but Iran retaliated, and this back-and-forth continues to this day. We believe that both Israel and Iran should ensure that they are engaged in dialogue and consultation to resolve issues.' This situation is a source of significant concern for us, Iwaya continued. Regarding the G7 leaders' statement, it is a consensus that reflects the discussions among the leaders considering the current situation. It reiterates the G7's commitment to peace and stability in the Middle East.
Arab News
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Bahraini crown prince affirms strategic ties with US in meeting with congressional delegation
LONDON: Crown Prince of Bahrain Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa affirmed the importance of Manama's strategic partnership with the US during a meeting with a congressional delegation at Gudaibiya Palace on Monday. During the meeting with the delegation, led by Representative Bradley Schneider, the Bahraini crown prince, who is also the prime minister, said that the ties between Manama and Washington are built on mutually beneficial cooperation and longstanding agreements. He referred to the Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement, which was signed in September 2023, as an example of the importance of further strengthening the two countries' partnership. During the meeting, recent regional and international developments, including the conflict between Israel and Iran, and their implications for security and stability, were discussed. The crown prince reiterated Bahrain's commitment to resolving crises through dialogue and diplomatic efforts, including the continuation of US-Iran nuclear negotiations. He stressed the urgent need to resolve regional conflicts and highlighted the crucial role of the US, along with allied nations, in maintaining global peace and security, the Bahrain News Agency reported.
