In Malaysia, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Saturday’s Iranian drone and missile attack was a “legitimate action” in retaliation for Israel’s bombing of the Iranian embassy in Syria earlier this month.
In his statement on Monday (15 April), Anwar said that the attack was a consequence of the Israeli government’s “barbaric” bombing of the Iranian embassy in Damascus, Syria on 1 April. The incident killed 16 people, including several members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
“The war between Iran and Israel that started after the Israeli government attacked the Iranian embassy, in violation of international law, is the consequence of one person’s actions. When you break the law, you invite backlash,” Anwar said, according to the Malay Mail and other media platforms.
He added that a war between these two regional enemies was not good for the economy and world peace, and he would hold a meeting with the Malaysian Cabinet to decide on the next steps.
Anwar also said that Putrajaya welcomed assurances from Iran that its response would match its actions, provided there were no further provocations from Israel.
Other Southeast Asian countries also reacted to the Iranian attack.
Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on April 14 condemning the attacks, adding that “these escalating attacks are exacerbating tensions and further destabilizing an already tense region.”
The following day, the Philippines expressed “serious concern over the escalating tensions between Israel and Iran.”
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said it urged “all parties to refrain from exacerbating the situation and work towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict”.
Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pham Thu Hang also said the country was “deeply concerned about the escalating tensions in the Middle East, especially acts of violence that violate the UN Charter and cause harm to civilians,” according to local media platform VNExpress.
Malaysia and Indonesia have also issued separate statements, calling for restraint.
Both countries do not recognize Israel and have expressed support for Palestinian rights and the struggle.
