AFC clears JDT and Kuching City over heritage players, national team ban stands

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has confirmed that Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) and Kuching City have complied with regulations concerning heritage players. - Social media pic, March 14, 2026


AFC clears JDT and Kuching City over heritage players, national team ban stands


Club competitions remain unaffected as AFC confirms eligibility rules apply only to Malaysia’s national squad



Sandru Narayanan
Updated 14 hours ago
14 March, 2026
6:43 PM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has confirmed that Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) and Kuching City have complied with regulations concerning heritage players, emphasising that the national team eligibility sanctions do not extend to club football.

AFC secretary-general Datuk Seri Windsor Paul told Scoop that the Malaysian Football League’s (MFL) handling of the players’ registration “follows the MFL competition regulations” and was properly communicated to all Malaysia League clubs.

“On behalf of AFC, we accept the decision made by the MFL as it aligns with their Competition Articles. There should be no issue with the MFL’s ruling,” Windsor said.

The MFL previously confirmed that four heritage players – JDT’s Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal, Hector Hevel, and Kuching City’s Gabriel Palmero – were correctly registered as local players for the 2025-2026 season.

The process, which involves submitting a coloured copy of an identity card or passport, fully adheres to MFL regulations.

While club-level rules were observed, the players remain under a 12-month ban from official matches after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) partially upheld sanctions related to falsified eligibility documents. CAS allows the players to train and participate in football activities with their clubs but bars them from competing in official games.

Of the seven players initially sanctioned by FIFA, three – Joao Figueiredo, Hector Hevel, and Jon Irazabal – are JDT members.

Windsor emphasised that AFC’s authority is limited to national team eligibility. Clubs involved in AFC competitions are unaffected.

“Eligibility rules apply only to national teams. Clubs in AFC competitions, including JDT, are completely unaffected,” he said.

“There is no violation of any regulations at club level. Players can continue to participate in AFC Champions League Elite and the ASEAN Club Championship without restriction.”

Following a review of the full case file from FIFA, the AFC confirmed that the disciplinary process concerns only the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and matches involving the national team.

The ruling reassures Malaysian clubs in continental competitions, enabling JDT and Kuching City to proceed with their campaigns uninterrupted while the heritage players serve their national team suspensions. – March 14, 2026

Americans urged to leave countries across Middle East

 

Americans urged to leave countries across Middle East

published at 13:54

13:54

As we reported earlier, the US embassy in Baghdad has issued a fresh warning for its citizens to leave Iraq after a missile hit the embassy building earlier on Saturday.

In its warning, the US embassy said citizens should "leave Iraq now".

"US citizens choosing to remain in Iraq are strongly encouraged to reconsider in light of the significant threat posed by Iran-aligned terrorist militia groups," the embassy wrote.

As Iran has launched strikes at US targets across the Middle East, the US has urged its citizens to leave more than a dozen countries.

Separately, the US said on Saturday it had ordered non-emergency government employees and the relatives of government employees to leave Oman, according to Reuters.

Lebanon says Israeli strike on health centre killed 12 medical workers

Lebanon says Israeli strike on health centre killed 12 medical workers

published at 08:41


An Israeli strike on a health centre in southern Lebanon on Friday killed 12 medical workers, including doctors and nurses, Lebanon's ministry of public health says.

The strike has been condemned by the chief of the World Health Organization. "These incidents highlight the ongoing assault on Lebanon’s healthcare system, which is crucial for the populations it serves," Tedros Ghebreyesus says.

"WHO condemns this tragic loss of life and emphasises that health workers must always be protected."

The Israeli military says it's aware of reports of a strike in the Borj Qalaouiye area in southern Lebanon, and the incident is under review.

***

Shailok air force specialises in bombing hospitals, clinics, old folks homes, schools, nurseries - less likelihood of defence fire.

Israeli settlers shoot Palestinians in West Bank villages, steal livestock

Israeli settlers shoot Palestinians in West Bank villages, steal livestock

One Palestinian reported killed in Qusra, as others injured in Rashayda, amid surge in Israeli settler violence.

Palestinians pick olives near Israeli outposts near Bethlehem, in the occupied West Bank [File: Faiz Abu Rmeleh/Getty Images]

By Al Jazeera Staff and News Agencies
Published On 14 Mar 2026


Israeli settlers have attacked two villages in the occupied West Bank, causing casualties among the Palestinian residents, according to local officials.

Hani Odeh, the mayor of Qusra village in Nablus governorate, told the AFP news agency that Israeli settlers shot dead a Palestinian man, 28-year-old Amir Moatasem Odeh, on Saturday. Two other residents were injured.

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There was also an assault on the area of Rashayda, east of Bethlehem, on Saturday, with the local mayor describing settler violence as a near-daily reality for residents.

Palestinian news agency Wafa said a group of settlers attacked in the area of Rashayda, near the village of Kisan, “firing live ammunition”.

Musa Abayat, the mayor of Rashayda, told AFP that five Palestinians were injured in the assault, including two with gunshot wounds.

Beyond those shot, three other Palestinians were beaten with sharp objects or struck by stones, with the injured taken to hospital. More than 100 sheep were also seized.

“Daily attacks” by settlers, Abayat said, had become a feature of life in the area.

The Israeli military acknowledged a “violent confrontation” had taken place involving Israeli civilians who discharged their weapons toward Palestinians. One Israeli civilian was wounded, the military told AFP, adding that two Israeli civilians had been detained alongside three Palestinians.



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The attack was the latest in a run of violence that had already left its mark on the same village.

A day earlier, settlers burned down a poultry barn belonging to a local Palestinian farmer, completely destroying it, according Wafa.

Elsewhere in the West Bank on Saturday, Wafa reported that Israeli forces shot a 43-year-old Palestinian man, Ahmad Khalil Saleh, at the Beit Iksa checkpoint northwest of Jerusalem. Soldiers also severely beat his 20-year-old son at the same location, according to local sources cited by the agency.

At least five Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since the start of March, according to Palestinian authorities and the United Nations, part of a broader surge in violence that has accompanied Israel’s war on Gaza.

Israeli troops or settlers have killed more than 1,045 Palestinians in the West Bank since October 7, 2023, according to an AFP tally of Palestinian health ministry figures.

That violence has unfolded largely without legal consequence.

Israeli rights group Yesh Din found that more than nine in 10 investigations into ideologically-motivated offences by Israelis against Palestinians in the West Bank ended without indictment, a pattern the group describes not as negligence, but deliberate policy.



Marking al-Quds Day in occupied West Bank: Israel severely restricts access to Al-Aqsa Mosque


A sweeping UN report found that of more than 1,500 Palestinians killed between 2017 and September 2025, Israeli authorities secured just one conviction.

The UN human rights chief Volker Turk has described conditions in the West Bank as resembling apartheid, condemning what he called the “systematic asphyxiation” of Palestinian rights under two distinct bodies of law, one for settlers, another for Palestinians, across territory home to more than three million people.

***

Shakespeare and Adolf were right - shailoks are nothing but robbers, thieves, looters, cheats, scumbags, murderers, thugs

Trump urges UK and other nations to send ships to help secure Strait of Hormuz after Iranian attacks

Trump urges UK and other nations to send ships to help secure Strait of Hormuz after Iranian attacks





Donald Trump calls on the UK and other nations to join the US in sending ships to help secure the Strait of Hormuz - here's why the oil shipping lane matters


In a post on Truth Social, the US president says despite "Iran's attempted closure" of the passage, "one way or the other, we will soon get the Hormuz Strait OPEN, SAFE, and FREE!"


The UK Maritime Trade Operations says 16 ships operating in and around the Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman have been attacked since the war started


On Thursday, Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei vowed to keep blocking the strait in his first public statement


Meanwhile, strikes are continuing across the Middle East, with sirens sounding in Jerusalem after the Israeli military said it had detected new attacks from Iran


An Iranian government spokesperson says more than 200 students and teachers have been killed in the last two weeks, and 120 schools have been "severely damaged"

***

This has been after the Clown chewed Keir Starmer up for not joining up immediately in the US-Shailok strikes on Iran, saying he didn't need the RN aircraft carrier anymore - Clown is nothing more than a shameless hussy, now panicking because of Iran's "closure" of the Hormuz Straits, and frantically calling on his already-disgusted "allies" to help.

 

Another 5 Palestinians killed in Israel’s genocide in Gaza amid wider war

Israeli forces carry out daily attacks on besieged Gaza, as humanitarian conditions amid Iran war worsen.

By Al Jazeera Staff

Published On 14 Mar 202614 Mar 2026

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Israel has killed another five Palestinians as its genocidal war on Gaza continues unabated amid a widening regional conflict triggered by joint United States-Israel strikes on Iran two weeks ago.

Sources at hospitals in Gaza told Al Jazeera correspondents on the ground on Saturday that the five deaths occurred in Gaza City and Khan Younis overnight since Friday evening.

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list of 4 items

• list 1 of 4What’s happened in Gaza and the West Bank since the start of the Iran war?
• list 2 of 4Destroy, displace, dismantle: Israel’s Gaza doctrine comes to Lebanon
• list 3 of 4Hopes for justice rise as The Voice of Hind Rajab heads to Oscars
• list 4 of 4Sandstorm hits Gaza, impacting displaced Palestinians

end of list

The Israeli military attacks Gaza relentlessly, despite an October 10 “ceasefire”, it has violated hundreds of time.

Seven people have been killed since Thursday morning, Gaza’s Ministry of Health said early on Saturday, with 658 people killed in the besieged enclave since the “ceasefire”.

Israeli forces on Saturday also attacked a police post in Khan Younis, killing two police officers and wounding others.

Meanwhile, sandstorms have swept across the Gaza Strip, worsening conditions and piling on the misery for tens of thousands of displaced people.

Witnesses reported that the dust-laden winds swept through the camps, worsening the plight of families living in worn-out tents.

OPINION | First, she’s shocked to receive millions. Then she decides not to tell her husband

OPINION | First, she’s shocked to receive millions. Then she decides not to tell her husband


14 Mar 2026 • 6:00 PM MYT



Fa Abdul
FA ABDUL is a former columnist of Malaysiakini & Free Malaysia Today (FMT)

Photo credit: Kosmo!



Let’s keep it simple.


You introduce a friend to your husband.


Maybe your friend wants advice. Maybe she wants a contact. Maybe she just wants to say hello. Happens all the time. People introduce friends to spouses, cousins, bosses, doctors, mechanics. Malaysia practically runs on introductions.


“Eh, my husband works in insurance, maybe he can help you.”


“My cousin is a contractor, you can ask him about your renovation.”


“My neighbour sells durian, I introduce you. Maybe you can get a discount.”


All normal. No drama.


Now imagine something slightly less normal.


A few days later, that same friend transfers a huge sum of money into your bank account.


At this point, most normal human beings would have one very simple, immediate question.


“Eh… why are you paying me ah?”


Because introducing people to your husband is not exactly a billable service.


Nobody sends invoices like: Introduction to Husband - RM2.8 million


Unless, of course, there’s some very exclusive membership package us ordinary Malaysians didn’t get the memo about.



The drama of Bung Moktar’s widow


Recently, Bung Moktar Radin’s widow, Zizie Izette Abdul Samad, testified in her graft trial. She said she was shocked to receive millions in “fees” from mutual fund agents for introducing them to her husband.


Zizie explained that it was not unusual for people to want to meet her husband - he was charismatic, famous, political - the usual.


When asked why someone would pay a “fee” for a friendly introduction, Zizie shrugged and said the prosecution should ask the agent.


She also said she questioned where the money came from before deciding to accept it.


Most Malaysians would agree, this is not how human curiosity works.


When someone gives you money for something you never charged for, the first question is not about the source of the money. It’s about the reason for the payment.


Introducing friends to family members is not exactly a commission-based profession. We do it out of courtesy. Out of friendship. Because someone asked.


And if someone suddenly transferred millions to you, most of us would probably go straight to our spouse and ask, “Why ah? I just introduced them to you, why so much money?”


But not Zizie. She says she never told her late husband about the funds, because they managed their finances separately.



Er… reminds me of a certain former minister who once said, “We sleep in the same bed, but we don’t talk business.” Yeah, same energy. Nothing says marital bliss like a strict no-finance policy under the covers.


Somehow, a supposedly “friendly introduction” turned into millions in her account, with no one asking the obvious question: WHY.


I don’t know about y'all, but when I’m offered a sudden windfall, I step back. I ask questions. I raise an eyebrow. Because nothing in life comes free. When it does… you can bet something is seriously off.


And in this case, something does feel seriously off.

OPINION | Why This May Be My Last Article on Muhyiddin

OPINION | Why This May Be My Last Article on Muhyiddin


14 Mar 2026 • 6:30 PM MYT



TheRealNehruism
An award-winning Newswav creator, Bebas News columnist & ex-FMT columnist

Image credit: The True Net/Finance Twitter


Right after the Turun Anwar rally last July, I predicted that Muhyiddin Yassin would be toppled by the end of the year.


As a matter of fact, Muhyiddin did step down as the head of Perikatan Nasional on Jan 1.


Today he might still be the president of Malaysian United Indigenous Party (Bersatu), but the man is effectively out.


How out is Muhyiddin?


He is so out that earlier today, when I saw a news report about him — and something in my spirit briefly moved me to write about it — upon forther deliberateion, I simply decided against it.


Why ?


Well, it is because I don’t see Muhyiddin as someone that I should be writing about anymore.


This might actually be my last article about him.


I don't think it is right for me to write about Muhyiddin anymore, because I only write about politicians who are still in the game.


I do not think it is unfair for me to comment on a politician who is in the game — even if my comments are harsh or cutting — any more than a commentator in an MMA or boxing fight feels guilty about critiquing a fighter in the ring.


Politics is a competitive field. Save for war, it might be the most competitive field known to mankind.


In fact, considering that Carl von Clausewitz famously argued that war is merely the continuation of politics by other means, politics might very well be the most competitive arena known to man.


There is no higher victory than victory in politics.


And when you lose, often there is no greater loss.


When you win in politics, your name might be remembered for generations to come. The world that emerges in the future may very well be shaped in your image.


But if you lose in politics, you may be reviled for generations.


Most of the figures whom history remembers as villains are simply those who lost in the game of politics. Conversely, even the most monstrous of men are often remembered admiringly by history if they won the political struggle.


Muhyiddin, to me, is a man who has lost decisively in the game of politics.


What do I mean by decisively ?


I mean that not only has Muhyiddin lost, he has lost with such strength, that the chances that he will be able to bounce back from his loss is next to nil.


Does this mean I believe he will be reviled by generations to come?


No.


I don’t think Muhyiddin will suffer that fate simply because he may not have made a sufficiently deep mark in history to be remembered that way.



Someone like Mahathir Mohamad might face that kind of historical judgment.


Muhyiddin, I suspect, will not.


So what will happen to Muhyiddin?


Well, I think he will simply fade into oblivion.


In fact, I think that it is already happening.


That is why when I saw a news report about him earlier, although something briefly moved my heart to write about it, instead of writing about it, as I normally would, something inside me simply told me to simply let it pass.


It is one thing to write commentary about politicians who are actively competing in the arena, even if the commentary is harsh and stinging. Winners should be put through the crucible of criticism, just like gold should be put through the test of fire. A winner that can take criticism is like gold that can't take the heat - it is not real gold, even if it glitters.


But it is another thing entirely to write about old men who are no longer in the game, yet cannot take off their boots because they cannot accept that they are no longer a factor.


To do the former is to do a job.


To do the latter is simply mean.


If you ask what the news about Muhyiddin was that moved me to write about him, I will just say that it doesn’t matter — because Muhyiddin doesn’t matter anymore.


For years — even before last July’s Turun Anwar rally — I had said that if Muhyiddin continued going about politics the way he was going about it, he would eventually be set adrift in the sea of oblivion.


Last July, seeing how stubbornly he persisted on that path, I predicted that he would be out by the end of the year.


I even predicted that Hamzah Zainudin would be the one to take him to the cleaners.


Considering that everything I predicted about Muhyiddin has come to pass, this is my final prediction about him — perhaps my last prediction about him.


Muhyiddin is now drowning in the sea of oblivion.


Right now we can still see him making a small splash as his head bobs in and out of the water.


But soon even that will pass.


After that, Muhyiddin will disappear from our minds as quickly as he disappears from our sight.


If this is not the last article I write about Muhyiddin, it will certainly be one of the last.


And even if I do write about him again, it will probably not be about politics. It will likely be written in a more gentle and fond tone.


Why ?


Because in my mind, Muhyiddin belongs to the past, and I believe that the proper way to remember something that belongs more to the past than to the present or the future, is to remember it gently and fondly.

OPINION | PMX Did Not Attack Rafizi. He Only Gave Him Face. What Really Happened?

OPINION | PMX Did Not Attack Rafizi. He Only Gave Him Face. What Really Happened?


14 Mar 2026 • 8:00 PM MYT



AM World
A writer capturing headlines & hidden places, turning moments into words

Image credit: Malay Mail



Malaysia is talking. Some say Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (often called PMX) “gave face” to Rafizi Ramli. Others call it political drama. But what does it really mean for the country? Read to the end to understand why this matters for you, your family, and Malaysia’s future.


Why This Topic Matters


In Malaysia, politics often feels personal. When a high‑profile leader like Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli faces a public row with his own party and leader, people feel it deeply.


Rafizi and PMX once worked closely. Both were part of Pakatan Harapan’s rise to power in 2022. Rafizi even served as Economy Minister in PMX’s cabinet. But after internal party battles in 2025 and statements about contesting under a different ticket, Rafizi received a show‑cause letter from his own party, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) over perceived conflict with party leadership. (Malay Mail)


Many Malaysians see this as PMX giving Rafizi “face” rather than attacking him. It raises deep questions about leadership, loyalty, and unity. How does this affect Malaysia now?


What “Giving Face” Means in Malaysian Politics


The phrase “beri muka” suggests not punishing someone harshly even when rules are broken. Here’s how this interpretation fits recent events:


• Rafizi’s show‑cause letter did not immediately remove him from the party or Parliament. (Malay Mail)



• PMX and PKR leadership did not expel him outright. (Malay Mail)


• Rafizi remains a PKR member and MP while the situation plays out. (Malay Mail)


This looks like restraint rather than confrontation. Some see this as a mark of respect for Rafizi’s long service and popularity. Others see weakness.


The Malaysian Political Context


A Party Divided


PKR held central leadership elections in 2025. Rafizi lost his bid for deputy president to Nurul Izzah Anwar, daughter of PMX. Analysts said this showed PMX’s influence in the party. (The Edge Malaysia)


After losing, Rafizi resigned as Economy Minister, saying he lacked a mandate within the government. (TRP)


This left a political gap. Instead of silent retreat, Rafizi became outspoken. He questioned party decisions and government policies on his podcast and in public talks. (BFM 89.9)


The Show‑Cause Letter Explained


PKR issued a show‑cause letter to Rafizi in late February 2026. It said his statement about contesting GE16 under a different ticket might signal he was leaving the party. (The Star)


Rafizi responded publicly that he would stay with PKR until Parliament is dissolved for the next general election. (Malay Mail)


This back‑and‑forth shows that both sides are trying to avoid quick confrontation. Some see this as political chivalry or “giving face”.


Social Impact: Why Ordinary Malaysians Care


People See Mixed Signals


Many Malaysians feel political instability affects daily life:


• Economy and jobs. When leaders clash, business confidence wavers. Foreign investors watch political unity before investing more in Malaysia.


• Daily costs. Uncertainty can reduce investor confidence, affecting jobs and income.


• Youth and future. Young voters want clear leadership and direction. They view internal dissent as distraction from national issues.


This is especially true for Malaysians aged 40 and above who remember past political turmoil and its economic impact.


Chinese Malaysian Community Views


Rafizi has taken positions on education issues that resonate with some ethnic Chinese voters. For example, he called for more rational discussion on UEC recognition, arguing it affects fewer students than perceived. (TRP)


His approach on this topic gained both support and criticism. Some Chinese Malaysians see him as a voice for inclusive policy. Others feel his prominence in PKR risks polarising the community.


This added complexity to views about whether PMX was wise to “give face” instead of punishing Rafizi.


Indian Malaysian Perspectives


Indian Malaysian voters often focus on economic and social justice issues:


• Rafizi’s tenure as Economy Minister included plans like the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13) which aimed at reforming education and economic programmes. (TRP)


• Some Indian Malaysians appreciate reform voices that challenge status quo.


• Others worry internal political tension distracts from urgent needs like cost of living, housing, and jobs.


Thus the debate around PMX and Rafizi touches real‑world concerns across ethnic groups.


Global Perspective: Political Unity and Governance


Internationally, governments with internal party tensions often face:


• Slower policy implementation


• Reduced foreign investment


• Public uncertainty


Experts say politicians who handle internal disagreements without public damage can strengthen long‑term trust. For example, political scientists note that restraint in handling internal conflict can keep a coalition stronger ahead of general elections. This is relevant for Malaysia as GE16 approaches by early 2028. (FULCRUM)


In some democracies, leaders balance discipline with inclusiveness to avoid deep factional splits.


What Malaysian Experts Are Saying


Political Analysts


Ibrahim Suffian, co‑founder of Merdeka Center, said Rafizi’s defeat in PKR reflects Anwar’s strong influence within the party but also highlights internal divides. (The Edge Malaysia)


This suggests PMX may be trying to keep unity by giving Rafizi room rather than forcing a split.


Economic Voices


Economists argue political stability matters for markets.


• Markets react to leadership uncertainty.


• Stable governments attract more investors.


• Political conflict can slow economic reforms.


So if PMX is choosing restraint instead of confrontation, it may reflect economic concerns ahead of GE16.


Social Commentary


Many Malaysians are discussing this publicly on social media and blogs, debating whether PMX’s approach was wise. Some see it as respect. Others see it as political calculation.


Key Data and Facts to Know



• Rafizi lost the PKR deputy presidency in May 2025, leading to his resignation from the Cabinet. (TRP)


• PKR’s show‑cause letter in February 2026 alleged Rafizi might be planning to contest GE16 under a different ticket. (The Star)


• Rafizi insists he will stay in PKR until Parliament is dissolved. (Malay Mail)


• PKR leadership elections and internal dynamics shape Malaysia’s political future. (FULCRUM)


What do you think? I’d love to hear your opinion in the comments section.


This issue is more than a headline. It reflects a shifting Malaysian political landscape and tests how leaders handle internal disagreement.


• PMX may be choosing unity and stability.


• Rafizi remains a powerful voice that resonates with many voters.


• Malaysians from all communities are watching closely as GE16 nears.


The phrase “PMX bukan jahat hanya beri muka kepada Rafizi” highlights the view that political restraint can be strategic, not harmful.

"White House begging world, including India, to buy Russian crude": Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi

"White House begging world, including India, to buy Russian crude": Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi


14 Mar 2026 • 7:24 AM MYT



ANI
India's largest TV news agency and newswire service, covering news and controversy

Tehran [Iran], March 14 (ANI): Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Saturday criticised the United States over its stance on Russian oil, claiming Washington was now "begging" countries across the globe, including India, to purchase Russian crude despite earlier pressure to stop such imports.

In a post on X, Araghchi said, "The US spent months on bullying India into ending oil imports from Russia. After two weeks of war with Iran, White House is now begging the world--including India--to buy Russian crude."

Seyed Abbas Araghchi

@araghchi

·

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The U.S. spent months on bullying India into ending oil imports from Russia. After two weeks of war with Iran, White House is now begging the world—incl India—to buy Russian crude. Europe thought backing illegal war on Iran would win U.S. support against Russia. Pathetic.

6:48 AM · Mar 14, 2026

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The Iranian foreign minister also criticised European countries for backing an "illegal war" against Iran, claiming they expected American support against Russia in return.

"Europe thought backing illegal war on Iran would win US support against Russia. Pathetic," he said.

Meanwhile, Iran has allowed two India-flagged liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers to transit through the Strait of Hormuz amid the conflict in the Middle East region, Reuters reported, citing four sources with direct knowledge of the matter.

Reuters, citing two sources and shipping data from Lloyd's List Intelligence, further reported that a crude oil tanker carrying Saudi Arabian oil is expected to arrive in India on Saturday after having transited the Strait of Hormuz around March 1.

Earlier, Iran's Ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, confirmed that Tehran will provide safe passage to vessels bound for India through the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia, citing the longstanding friendship and shared interests between the two countries.

Answering a question on whether Iran would allow Indian-bound ships safe transit through the Strait, which is one of the critical routes for global energy trade, Fathali said, "Yes. Because India and I are friends. You can see the future, and I think that after two or three hours. Because we believe that. We believe that Iran and India are friends. We have common interests; we have a common fate."

He emphasised the mutual responsibility between the two nations, adding, "Suffering of the people of India is our suffering and vice versa. And for this reason, the government of India help us, and we should help the government of India because we have a common fate and common interest." (ANI)