The Philippines has joined a growing list of nations claiming to have secured guarantees from Iran for safe navigation through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, a move seen as crucial for both maritime safety and national energy stability.
The announcement followed discussions between Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro and Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Thursday. According to the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, Iran has pledged to permit the safe, unhindered and swift passage of Philippine-flagged vessels, alongside energy shipments and Filipino seafarers transiting the waterway.
Lazaro welcomed the development, describing it as essential for safeguarding the thousands of Filipino seafarers working in the region, while also reinforcing the country’s fragile energy security at a time of heightened geopolitical tension.
However, questions remain over how broadly the assurances will apply in practice. Many Filipino seafarers are employed on vessels with diverse ownership structures, flags and cargo types, some of which may fall outside Iran’s stated permissions for transit through the Strait, potentially limiting the scope of the guarantee.
The Philippines, widely recognised as the world’s leading supplier of maritime labour, has an estimated 400,000 seafarers deployed across the global shipping industry, serving aboard vessels registered and operated by a wide range of international entities.
The stakes are particularly high for Manila given its heavy dependence on the Arabian Gulf region, from which it sources roughly 98 per cent of its oil. The urgency of the situation was underscored when President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a national energy emergency on 24 March, following Iran’s closure of the Strait amid escalating conflict involving the United States and Israel that began on 28 February.
Beyond oil, the agreement is also expected to help secure the continued flow of fertiliser supplies into the Philippines, easing concerns over potential disruptions to agricultural production and food security.