ASEAN Foreign Ministers Call for Immediate Cessation of Middle East Hostilities
Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) issued a joint statement expressing 'serious concern' over renewed hostilities between the United States and Iran, calling for an 'immediate cessation' of fighting across all fronts in the Middle East. The statement, released after the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Manila, highlighted the conflict's 'immediate and long-term effects' on Southeast Asia, particularly on energy markets, supply chains, agricultural production, and food security. The ministers urged all parties to exercise restraint and restore safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for Asia's oil imports. The ceasefire agreed in April collapsed earlier this month, with both sides trading accusations. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned ASEAN leaders that Iran's demand to control and toll the Strait of Hormuz would set a dangerous global precedent. The bloc's earlier statement explicitly blamed U.S.-Israeli attacks for the war, but the latest statement apportions responsibility more evenly.
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