ASEAN voices serious concern over Iran war spillover and energy shortages
Southeast Asian foreign ministers have voiced serious concern over the impact of the Iran war on energy supplies, as they met in Manila on Tuesday. The talks come amid disruption to key maritime routes, including the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has added pressure to oil imports across the region. ASEAN members are also discussing an oil-sharing mechanism as they seek to limit the effects of the crisis.
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In a statement, the ministers said they were deeply concerned that the developments were undermining efforts by key mediators and reducing the prospects for a peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomacy. The meeting in the Philippines brought together foreign ministers from ASEAN and their key partners, with top diplomats from the United States, Russia and China also attending. The summit is taking place against a wider backdrop of instability affecting trade and energy supplies.
The economic exposure is significant because Southeast Asian countries have a combined gross domestic product of $3.8 trillion and rely heavily on oil imports from Gulf states. The reported shortages have already pushed up oil and gas prices in the region, while also slowing manufacturing and exports. The Philippines has been singled out as especially affected, with reporting from the summit noting that it is the first country in the world to declare a state of national energy emergency and remains under that measure.
The latest concern was sharpened by an announcement from Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis that they would impose a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia. That move opened what diplomats described as a potential new front in the conflict and raised further worries about global energy supplies and trade beyond the Gulf. The developments also come as ASEAN continues to manage other regional tensions, including territorial disputes with Beijing in the South China Sea.
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ASEAN's discussion of an oil-sharing mechanism reflects the bloc's effort to build a coordinated response to supply shocks that could affect multiple member states at once. The issue is not only about prices, but also about the resilience of trade and manufacturing in economies that depend on imported fuel. The presence of major powers at the summit underlines how the conflict is influencing wider international diplomacy.
What remains unclear is how quickly any oil-sharing arrangement could be agreed, and whether it would be enough to offset further disruption if the conflict widens. It is also not clear how long the Strait of Hormuz closure and related blockades will continue, or whether diplomatic efforts can reverse the escalation. For now, ASEAN ministers are signalling that the region sees the crisis as an immediate economic and strategic risk.
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