ASEAN's top diplomats meet, to issue statement amid 'grave concern' over US-Iran conflict

Foreign ministers from the Southeast Asian bloc ASEAN are convening to issue a statement on the Middle East crisis, expressing grave concern over the escalating conflict between the United States and Iran. The instability threatens to cast a shadow over the diplomatic gathering in Manila.

The ministers are particularly worried about the potential impact on global energy supplies transiting the Strait of Hormuz and the subsequent rise in inflation. The resumption of open conflict between the U.S. and Iran has injected additional uncertainty into a region already grappling with its own set of challenges.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro, chairing the meeting, stated that the Middle East crisis is a "very, very critical topic" that will be raised. The bloc's concerns extend beyond the immediate geopolitical tensions, encompassing broader economic worries about global growth.

Closer to home, ASEAN diplomats face significant regional issues. They will hold consultations on Myanmar's protracted civil war, where the bloc's peace initiative has struggled to gain traction five years after a military coup. Additionally, the region contends with maritime tensions involving China. The meeting aims to address these multifaceted challenges, both external and internal to Southeast Asia.

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We're looking at several occasions where they can raise this very, very critical topic.