MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines expressed grave concern with the recent developments in the Strait of Hormuz and the reported attacks in the Middle East, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Monday.
In a statement, the DFA said that commitment to the initial peace agreement is vital for the progress of the peace talks in the region.
“The Philippines is gravely concerned with the recent developments in the Strait of Hormuz and the reported attacks in the Middle East,” the statement read.
“We continue to urge all involved parties to remain committed to the initial peace agreement and pursue constructive dialogue in finding a negotiated diplomatic solution to the conflict, as well as refrain from actions that could undermine the progress of the peace talks,” the statement added.
Iran launched missiles and drones at U.S. military sites in Kuwait and Bahrain early on Sunday, shortly after President Donald Trump threatened that the Islamic Republic would cease to exist if it did not honor the agreement to end the war, a report from Reuters said.
Meanwhile, Israel said on Sunday it had once again struck Iran-backed armed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, destroying underground infrastructure used by the group in a village in southern Lebanon.
That came after another strike on Saturday, which closely followed its latest ceasefire deal with Lebanon on Friday. Iran says the fighting in Lebanon must end if the wider agreement is to stick.
The U.S. military said earlier it had struck Iran again, hours after a tanker was hit in the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most important energy shipping route, which Tehran has largely closed for most of the conflict.
The 14-point interim peace accord was meant to halt the fighting, which the U.S. and Israel started on February 28, and reopen the Strait while talks proceeded on issues such as Iran's nuclear program.
According to reports, a Trump administration official said the US and Iran will “stand down for now” as technical talks remain “on track” even though recent attacks on the Strait tested the already volatile interim ceasefire agreed to last June 17, 2026.
(With reporting by Reuters bureaux; Writing by Daniel Trotta, William Mallard and Alexander Smith; Editing by Kate Mayberry, Philippa Fletcher and Sanjeev Miglani / REUTERS)
