ASEAN diplomats voice ‘serious concern’ over Iran war and energy crisis

Southeast Asian nations gathered at a summit in Manila to address mounting concerns about regional stability and energy security. The meeting brought together foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations alongside representatives from the United States, Russia, and China, underscoring how the Iran conflict has reshaped international diplomatic engagement.

The region faces acute vulnerability to supply chain disruptions stemming from the US-Israel war on Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. With a combined GDP of $3.8 trillion, Southeast Asian economies are heavily reliant on oil imports from Gulf countries, making them particularly exposed to blockade-related shortages. The situation intensified when Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis announced a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, opening additional threats to global energy supplies and trade.

At the Manila summit, ASEAN heads of state and diplomats are working to establish an oil-sharing mechanism designed to cushion the conflict's economic fallout. The war has already driven up oil and gas prices across Southeast Asia while simultaneously stalling manufacturing and exports, prompting countries in the region to diversify their trade partnerships. The Philippines, for instance, became the first nation globally to declare a state of national energy emergency and has turned to non-traditional suppliers such as Russia and China to address supply constraints, though market-driven price pressures remain beyond its control.

ASEAN ministers issued a joint statement expressing alarm that ongoing developments undermine mediation efforts and diminish prospects for peaceful resolution through dialogue. Beyond energy concerns, the summit agenda includes discussion of Myanmar's civil war, where a military coup five years prior has resulted in an estimated 100,000 deaths and where ASEAN's peace initiatives continue to falter.