Marcos to pursue talks with Iran on Strait of Hormuz passage

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March 31, 2026 | 1:26pm

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has asked Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro to open talks with Iran's ambassador to the Philippines about securing passage for Philippine-bound vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Tuesday, March 31.

Lazaro could meet with Iranian Ambassador to Manila Yousef Esmaeil Zadeh as early as tomorrow, or next week if schedules do not align, Castro said at a press briefing.

The directive came out of a meeting of the UPLIFT Committee, the interagency body Marcos created to deal with the fallout from the US-Israel war on Iran.

Castro did not say whether Iran at this time has offered any guarantee that Philippine-flagged or Philippine-bound ships would be allowed through.

Playing catch-up

The Philippines is late to a conversation that several of its neighbors have already had.

On March 26, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced that vessels from five countries — China, Russia, India, Iraq and Pakistan — would be permitted to transit the strait.

Malaysia and Thailand struck their own deals shortly after, earning spots on Tehran's list of "friendly" nations alongside Bangladesh.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim confirmed on March 27 that his country's oil tankers had been cleared for passage and thanked Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian for the arrangement.

Thailand secured access after one of its flagged vessels, the Mayuree Naree, was attacked and ran aground near Iran.

Iran's ambassador to South Korea has signaled that Seoul is considered non-hostile and that Korean ships could pass if they coordinate with Tehran.

Iran's foreign minister has also separately told Japan's Kyodo News that Iran was ready to facilitate passage for Japanese vessels.  

Tehran's public position is that the strait is not closed, just controlled. It says non-hostile vessels may transit if they coordinate with Iranian authorities, a stance it has communicated to both the UN Security Council and the International Maritime Organization.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian earlier urged Malacañang to pursue exactly this kind of discussion with Iran to ensure Philippine-bound oil shipments can be greenlighted.

51 days of fuel left

As of March 27, the Philippines had about 51 days' worth of fuel supply on average, up from 45 days a week earlier, after new shipments bolstered inventory, according to the Department of Energy's Oil Industry Management Bureau. 

Oil companies told the Senate on March 26 that their inventories are only guaranteed through April or May at the latest and that global uncertainties have made securing supply beyond that difficult.

US President Donald Trump recently delivered fresh threats against Iran, this time saying he would "obliterate" their power plants and oil wells.

The Philippines is a US treaty ally, though it is not involved in the war against Iran.