KUCHING: Sarawak hopes that any efforts towards peace between Iran and the United States can help stabilise world oil prices and ease global economic uncertainty that is affecting many countries.
Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said peace in West Asia is very important as a prolonged conflict could affect the world energy market and subsequently impact various economic sectors.
He said the agreement between Iran and the United States is more complex than it appears, and there are many factors to consider beyond the treaty itself.
“When there is a treaty between Iran and the United States, we hope that the war will end. But it is not as easy as that, and you know how unpredictable the United States of America, Trump, can be,” he said told reporters at the Sarawak State Library.
He said the conflict not only involves Iran and the United States, but also Israel and Lebanon, each with its own interests.
“There is another country that is always in this situation, which is Israel. The way Iran sees this is also another factor that needs to be taken into account.
“If Israel continues bombing and invading Lebanon, I don’t think Iran will stop because they have supporters in southern Lebanon.”
Abdul Karim said the international community now hopes that all diplomatic efforts that are being carried out can lead to lasting peace for the sake of economic stability and global well-being.
“We hope that there will be peace, because it has affected us in a lot of ways. The price of fuel has led to a domino (effect).
“The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz caused fuel and oil prices to surge, triggering increases in the cost of other goods and services, but with news of peace having already driven prices down, we hope that the situation remains stable.”
