TEHRAN, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Monday criticized some Western states for their media and arms support for Israel against the people of Gaza.
In a phone call, the two sides discussed bilateral ties as well as the ongoing developments in the region, especially the negotiations on the achievement of a ceasefire in Gaza, while slamming certain Western states' policies towards Gazans, according to a statement published on the website of the Iranian president's office.
The Iranian president and Malaysian premier said those Western countries' media and arms support for Israel were in contradiction with their claims of defending human rights and making efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, which would only lead to the continuation of Israel's "crimes against the oppressed and defenseless" people of Gaza.
They also highlighted the need for greater unity among and coordinated action by Muslim states to counter Israel in Gaza, stressing that the holding of a summit of the heads of state of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation would be an effective action in line with those ends.
The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip had risen to 40,139, the Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Monday. ■
