KUALA LUMPUR:  Malaysia's Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday (June 19) condemned the recent Israeli airstrikes on Iranian territory, describing them as "punitive" and "unprovoked" acts that violate international law and undermine diplomatic efforts.

Anwar said the Israeli attacks were clearly intended to derail ongoing talks and shatter hopes for a peaceful resolution in the region.

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"Such actions, carried out with utter impunity, constitute a blatant violation of international law, further eroding the norms that hold the global order together.

"We call on those with power and influence to speak plainly and act decisively to restrain further escalation," he said in his keynote address at the 38th Asia-Pacific Roundtable (APR) here on Thursday.

Also present were Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and ISIS Malaysia chairman Datuk Prof Dr Mohd Faiz Abdullah.

Shifting focus to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Anwar expressed deep concern over the relentless Israeli military campaign, calling it a tragedy that has inflicted a devastating toll on a defenceless population.

"The staggering civilian casualties, overwhelmingly women and children, demand far more than pious proclamations of concern.

"They require concerted international action to uphold humanitarian law, secure an immediate ceasefire, and ensure the unfettered delivery of aid to those in desperate need," he said.

Anwar warned that the credibility of the so-called rules-based international order is now "on trial," urging global powers to act decisively to prevent further escalation.

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Drawing attention to the situation in the Asia Pacific, Anwar said the same pressures are playing out with different scripts.

"In the Taiwan Strait, the Korean Peninsula and the South China Sea, familiar flashpoints flicker. Here, as ever, we must insist on the primacy of dialogue over disruption, of law over disorder, of restraint over escalation," he said.

He added that Malaysia believes the future of this region lies not in hardened blocs or fragile balances, but in a security architecture that is inclusive, predictable, and anchored in rules - one in which active non-alignment is not merely tolerated but enabled to thrive.

"While we do not pretend to be able to reshape the region to fit our ideals, we can act to prevent its worst outcomes. Stability is not guaranteed, but neither is chaos inevitable.

"What we do now - how we manage tensions, balance relationships, and defend our interests - will decide how the region weathers the storms ahead," he said. - Bernama