ASEAN foreign ministers are expressing “serious concern over the rapidly evolving situation in the Middle East”, specifically highlighting “renewed hostilities” involving the US and Iran.
– In a statement, the regional bloc warned that rising tensions “diminish the prospects for a peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomacy” and “severely undermine the ongoing efforts of key mediators”.
– The ministers also called on all involved parties to “exercise utmost self-restraint and avoid any acts that may further aggravate the situation”. They urged a “complete and immediate cessation of hostilities across all fronts” and demanded the “restoration of the safe, unimpeded, and continuous transit passage of vessels” in key trade routes like the Strait of Hormuz.
– They also highlighted the broader economic consequences of the conflict, pointing to the “implications of the continued tensions in the Middle East on regional trade, energy, and food security”.
https://aje.news/gcmk7h?update=4792198