Global diplomats convene in Manila amidst escalating Middle East tensions

Neena Mae Rayos, Philippine Canadian Inquirer
July 23, 2026

(Photo Courtesy: ASEAN | X)

MANILA – Diplomats from across Asia, Europe, and North America gathered in Manila on Thursday for the ASEAN Regional Forum, prioritizing calls for a peaceful resolution to escalating Middle East hostilities that threaten global stability.

The summit, attended by the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and officials from Australia, Britain, China, the EU, India, and Japan, was dominated by the war in Iran and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, issues of critical concern to the 11-nation ASEAN bloc whose $3.8 trillion economy relies heavily on Middle Eastern oil.

“We convene against the backdrop of profound geopolitical and geoeconomic uncertainty,” Philippine Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro said during opening remarks.

“These issues transcend borders and underscore the reality that ⁠no nation can address today’s complex security environment alone.”

While China’s Vice Foreign Minister Hua Chunying warned of a “new period of turbulence and transformation” requiring urgent peace.

These diplomatic efforts unfold against a backdrop of intensifying conflict, marked by the U.S. military’s 12th consecutive night of strikes on Iran and Houthi claims of hitting two Saudi oil tankers, creating a dual chokehold on global oil supplies in the Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz

Despite Rubio’s earlier statement that the U.S. seeks a diplomatic solution, he noted that Tehran remains uncooperative.