Anwar lauds US-Iran de-escalation, warns geopolitical turmoil hits the poor hardest

SEBERANG PERAI, June 20 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has hailed the reported de-escalation of tensions between the United States and Iran, describing the breakthrough as a vital win for global energy security and economic stability.

Speaking at the grand opening of the MKS Super Center Factory in Bandar Cassia Technology Park today, Anwar expressed relief over the diplomatic progress in the Middle East, a region whose volatility often affects the global economy.

“I was extremely happy to learn the news of a settlement or agreement, initial agreement, between the United States and Iran,” he told the audience.

The Prime Minister noted that any disruption in the Straits of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil, would have a cascading effect on industries worldwide.

For Malaysia, he said such instability translates directly into spiralling prices and economic pressure on the ground.

“We hope the peace can be sustained in the long term,” Anwar said, adding that the international community, including Gulf nations and Israel, must be persuaded or compelled to prioritise a lasting peace.

The Prime Minister warned that while geopolitical conflicts may seem distant, their consequences are felt most acutely at the dinner table.

He also lamented that the poor and the marginalised invariably bear the brunt of global instability, a reality he described as unacceptable.

“It is extremely cruel to inflict so much difficulty on the people,” he said.