Foreign ministers and their representatives line up at the opening ceremony of the Asean Foreign Ministers Meeting at the Philippine International Convention Centre on July 21, 2026 in Pasay city, Philippines. From left, Myanmar Permanent Secretary Hau Khan Sum, Malaysia's Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan, Thailand's Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Vijavat Isarabhakdi, East Timor's Foreign Minister Bendito dos Santos Freitas, Vietnam's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Hoang Giang, Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro, Singapore's Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Brunei's Foreign Minister Prince Abdul Mateen Bolkiah, Cambodia's Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, Indonesia's Foreign Minister Sugiono, Laos Foreign Minister Thongsavanh Phomvihane, and Asean secretary-general Kao Kim Hourn. (Photo: Aaron Favila/Pool/Reuters)
MANILA - The conflict between the US and Iran casts a long shadow over a diplomatic gathering here beginning on Tuesday, injecting additional uncertainty into a region grappling with maritime tensions with China and a faltering regional effort to end Myanmar's civil war.
Foreign ministers from the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations and major partners will gather in Manila against a backdrop of instability beyond the region since the US and Iran resumed open conflict, raising concerns about energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, as well as inflation and global growth.
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