KUALA LUMPUR, May 20, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim
said Monday he was "deeply saddened" by the death of Iranian President
Ebrahim Raisi and other officials in a helicopter crash, noting their shared
commitment to strengthening ties.

"I am deeply saddened by the tragic deaths of President Ebrahim Raisi,
Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and several other officials of the
Islamic Republic of Iran," he said in a statement on social media.

"We committed ourselves to bolstering Malaysia-Iran relations, working
together for the betterment of our peoples and the Muslim world. Our pledge
will be fulfilled."

Last week, a senior US Treasury official told reporters Iran relied on
Malaysian service providers to get around international sanctions and sell
its oil in the region.

Malaysia has denied the allegations.

Anwar previously defended Iran's unprecedented missile and drone attack on
Israel in April as "legitimate".