Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders have issued a collective appeal for de‑escalation in the Middle East and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring the region’s deep concern over the impact of the Iran‑US‑linked war on global energy flows and peace. In a closing statement from the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu, the 11‑member bloc urged all parties to cease hostilities immediately, maintain conditions for the existing ceasefire, and avoid any acts that could reignite the conflict.
The ASEAN statement stresses that the volatility in the Middle East threatens regional and global stability, and reiterates the bloc’s support for freedom of navigation and the safe, unimpeded transit of vessels and aircraft through the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait, which carries a major share of the world’s oil and gas shipments, has repeatedly been at the centre of the crisis, with temporary closures and naval‑blockade‑like measures pushing global energy markets into turmoil.
Alongside the call for calm, ASEAN leaders also backed a joint oil‑sharing pact among the 11‑nation bloc, aimed at cushioning member‑states from further supply shocks if the Strait again comes under strain. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who chaired the summit, described ASEAN’s core message as very simple: “peace”—framing the request as a prelude to finding a lasting, negotiated settlement to the broader Middle East conflict.
For Southeast Asia, the appeal is both economic and diplomatic: the region is highly dependent on imported energy and Japanese‑ and Chinese‑linked supply chains that pass through the Gulf, and any prolonged closure of the Strait would hit inflation, fiscal space, and growth across the ASEAN‑11 economies. The statement positions the bloc as a neutral, stability‑oriented actor pressing big‑power and regional actors to de‑escalate, even as the United States, Iran, and Gulf states continue to negotiate over naval‑freedom, sanctions, and the long‑term security architecture in the Gulf.
