ASEAN Ministers gather in Manila amid global tensions

Tensions between the United States and Iran are expected to cast a shadow over a major diplomatic gathering in Southeast Asia this week, adding to concerns over regional security and global economic stability.

Karen Lema / Reuters

July 21, 2026

ASEAN Ministers gather in Manila amid global tensions

Myanmar Permanent Secretary Hau Khan Sum, Malaysia Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Amran Mohamed Zin, Thailand Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Timor-Leste Foreign Minister Bendito dos Santos Freitas, Vietnam Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang, Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro, Singapore Permanent Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert Chua, Brunei Foreign Minister Erywan Yusof, Cambodia Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, Indonesia Director General for ASEAN Cooperation Ina Hagniningtyas Krisnamurthi, Laos Foreign Minister Thongsavanh Phomvihane, ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, and representatives of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights pose for a group photo during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City on July 20, 2026.

Ezra Acayan/Pool via REUTERS

MANILA — Tensions between the United States and Iran are expected to cast a shadow over a major diplomatic gathering in Southeast Asia this week, adding to concerns over regional security and global economic stability.

Foreign ministers from the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and key dialogue partners will meet in Manila amid growing instability following the renewed conflict between the U.S. and Iran. The crisis has raised concerns over potential disruptions to energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, as well as its impact on inflation and global economic growth.

The Middle East conflict is expected to be one of the key topics during the meetings, according to Philippine officials.

"We're looking at several occasions where they can raise this very, very critical topic," said Dominic Xavier Imperial, spokesperson for the Philippines, this year's host of the ASEAN meetings.

Beyond developments in the Middle East, ASEAN leaders are also expected to focus on long-standing regional challenges, including Myanmar's ongoing civil war and tensions in the South China Sea.

Negotiations between ASEAN and China on a long-awaited Code of Conduct for the South China Sea are expected to remain on the agenda as member states seek to manage maritime disputes in the strategically important waterway.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi are also expected to attend the meetings and could hold talks on the sidelines.

Other participants include foreign ministers and representatives from India, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the European Union.

Myanmar's crisis is also expected to receive significant attention as ASEAN's peace initiative continues to face challenges five years after it was launched following the country's 2021 military coup. The conflict has since evolved into a civil war that has claimed an estimated 100,000 lives.

Imperial said ASEAN foreign ministers will hold an informal consultation on Myanmar on July 22 as part of the ministerial meetings.

The ASEAN gatherings are expected to address both regional and global security issues as member states seek to strengthen cooperation amid an increasingly uncertain geopolitical environment. -Reporting by Karen Lema; Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus/Reuters