Engaged in a devastating war with Iraq, Iranian foreign minister Ali Akbar Vilayati paid an official visit to Malaysia in the early 1980s. Isolated internationally, Iran could rely on only a few countries for recognition and partnership. It quickly looked to Malaysia, a post-colonial, neutral and developing nation, under the leadership of upcoming Asian powerhouse, Mahathir Mohamad. Building on relations established during the Pahlavi era, this symbolic visit to the Southeast Asian country revealed Iran’s reliance on smaller nations during times of crisis. While attention has been given to Iran’s relations with more prominent Asian nations such as China, India and Pakistan, Tehran’s diplomatic ties with Malaysia is less known, but offers important insights into Iran’s realist approach to foreign relations. This research seeks to understand the paradoxes in this relationship, which on the surface should not work as well as it does. Malaysia has close relations with the West, Arab countries and most strikingly, has banned Shi’ism as a form of Islamic practise for its citizens. However, ties have remained relatively stable with strong diplomatic relations, open trade, and interest in cultural ties, despite global Shi’i – Sunni tensions and Western pressure. This paper explores the consistencies in bilateral ties and offers a historical perspective to Malaysian Iranian relations while exploring the enduring nature of the political relationship.