Situation may worsen in absence of solution: Shama Obaed on Iran war

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Islam
yesterday (12 April) said the situation could deteriorate further, affecting
the world, if a solution does not emerge from the US-Iran peace talks.
"Every country will be
affected - economically, socially, and in every way. We don't want that at
all," she told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noting that
they want the talks to be expedited and a resolution to be reached.
Meanwhile, the State Minister
requested Iran to consider facilitating the safe passage of Bangladesh-bound
vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.
She raised the issue when Ambassador of Iran to Bangladesh Jalil Rahimi
Jahanabadi met her.
During the meeting, they discussed
bilateral issues and the ongoing situation in the Middle East. Both sides
emphasised the importance of peace and stability in the region and beyond.
She also assured the Ambassador of
Bangladesh's full cooperation in the discharge of his duties.
Donald Trump on Sunday said the US
Navy would "immediately" begin a blockade to stop ships from entering
or leaving the Strait of Hormuz, after historic US-Iran ceasefire talks in
Pakistan ended without an agreement or clear next diplomatic steps.
In his first public comments after the 21-hour talks, Trump sought to exert
strategic control over the waterway responsible for shipping 20% of global oil
supplies before the war, hoping to eliminate Iran's key source of leverage,
reports AP.
A US blockade could further rattle global energy markets and affect prices for
oil, natural gas, and related products. It was not immediately clear how it
might be carried out, but Trump told Fox News the goal was to ensure all ships
could transit: "It's going to be all or none, and that's the way it
is."
Trump said he has "instructed
our Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in international waters that has
paid a toll to Iran. No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on
the high seas." Other nations would be involved in the blockade, he said,
but did not name them.
The government of Bangladesh views
the two sides coming to the table as a 'positive' development.
Emphasising that the issue can be
resolved through diplomacy and dialogue, Dhaka said that if the talks fail,
every country will suffer.
Reiterating Bangladesh's position
on the war in the Middle East, she said Dhaka has always maintained that the
war must be stopped at any cost and that a diplomatic solution must be found
through negotiations and dialogue.
In this war situation, even if two
sides are fighting, the greatest loss is borne by people worldwide. The
economies of all countries are being affected, and innocent lives are being
lost, she said.
"It is understood from this
that they also want a ceasefire or an end to the war. We have already made a
statement from the Bangladesh government and the Foreign Ministry that we
welcome such initiatives."
She said they want the relevant
countries, who are stakeholders, to sit at the negotiating table and reach a
solution.
"These discussions are
ongoing. It would not be appropriate for us to make any statement or comment at
this time."
Eight Bangladeshis were killed in
the Middle East during Iran's counterattack following the US-Israeli strike on
Iran.
"Most recently, one of our
female workers was killed in Lebanon. That is very sad. She is the first woman
killed in this war. So, we definitely want the war to end immediately,"
said the State Minister.
She said the government is working
hard to ensure that there is no shortage of fuel in the country and that
commodity prices do not rise.
Shama Obaid said that the bodies of
five of the eight victims have already been brought home. One was buried abroad
because the body was not in a condition to be repatriated. Efforts are underway
to bring back another.
Earlier, Bangladesh welcomed the
temporary ceasefire in the ongoing Middle East conflict, describing it as an
encouraging step toward de-escalation in the region.
"Bangladesh hopes that all
parties involved will respect the ceasefire and use this opportunity
constructively to work towards a durable and sustainable resolution and restore
lasting peace and stability across the region," said a statement issued by
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Bangladesh appreciates all parties
involved in the diplomatic efforts that facilitated the ceasefire.
Bangladesh reiterated that all
disputes can and should be resolved peacefully through dialogue and diplomacy.
















