Asean pushes US-Iran peace talks to prevent a wider conflict

Asean foreign ministers have issued a statement calling on the United States and Iran to continue peace negotiations in order to bring their conflict to a permanent end.

The statement came after US President Donald Trump threatened to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important routes for oil and natural gas shipments, most of which are bound for Asian countries.

The call also followed the collapse of ceasefire talks between Washington and Tehran, raising the risk that the Iran war, now in its seventh week, could widen further, drive oil prices higher and deepen the threat to the global economy.

According to the statement:

• We, the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), welcome the two-week ceasefire between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran, announced on April 8, 2026.
   
• We reaffirm the importance of maintaining maritime safety and security, and upholding freedom of navigation and overflight through straits used for international navigation, in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, as well as the relevant standards and recommended practices of the International Civil Aviation Organization and the International Maritime Organization. In this regard, we call for the restoration of the safe, unimpeded and continuous transit passage of vessels and aircraft through the Strait of Hormuz, in line with the 1982 convention. We also call on all parties to ensure the safety of seafarers and ships in accordance with the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea.
   
• We urge the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran to continue negotiations that will lead to a permanent end to the conflict and lasting peace and stability in the region. We commend the efforts of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and all parties involved in this regard.

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• We call for the full and effective implementation of the ceasefire in order to prevent further suffering and loss of life, ensure maritime security and freedom of navigation and overflight, especially for non-combatant commercial vessels and aircraft, minimise disruption to the flow of energy and essential goods, and mitigate the adverse impact on global economic stability.
   
• We urge all parties involved to maintain conditions conducive to the full and effective implementation of the ceasefire, including by strictly adhering to its terms, exercising the utmost restraint, ceasing all hostilities, acting responsibly, avoiding any actions that could aggravate the situation, and working together towards a comprehensive and lasting resolution in accordance with international law, the UN Charter and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
   
• We underscore the importance of maintaining peace, stability and prosperity in the region, upholding international law, and promoting sincere dialogue and diplomacy as the primary means of resolving conflict and tension, including the need for a complete and immediate cessation of hostilities across all fronts in the Middle East.
   
• We further reaffirm the obligation of all states to settle disputes by peaceful means, respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations, protect civilians and civilian infrastructure in armed conflict, and ensure the safety and security of UN peacekeepers and humanitarian personnel, in line with international law, the UN Charter and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.