President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has joined the call of world leaders to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East following US strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites.

In a press briefing Monday, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said the President urged concerned nations to pursue diplomacy and peaceful negotiations.

“We also need to stand up for world peace so that the global community can be strong. That is the President’s message,” Castro said.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) echoed the call, expressing “great concern” over the conflict’s potential threat to regional and global peace.

“We strongly urge concerned parties to take the path of diplomacy and avoid further escalation,” the DFA said, adding that the welfare of Filipinos in the region remains its top priority.

Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez likewise stressed the need for peaceful solutions while reaffirming the Philippines’ neutrality in the conflict.

“We will not interfere in that kind of situation. We condemn what happened on October 7, and we are very concerned about the Gaza Strip and Iran’s potential nuclear development,” Romualdez said in a radio interview.

Romualdez said the US has been clear that its primary goal is to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

He also said the Philippine Embassy has advised Filipinos in the US to remain vigilant following Washington’s warning of a “heightened threat environment.”

“The US action against Iran is very serious, which is why they have to be on alert for any eventuality,” he said.

Other players

As the conflict drags on, the roles of China and Russia remain unclear. Political analyst Dr. Renato de Castro noted that China appears cautious in providing support to Iran, with the most likely assistance being missiles.

“What we need to look at now is what kind of assistance China and Russia might provide to Iran,” he added.

De Castro stressed that the US strikes are focused on curbing Iran’s nuclear ambitions, seen as a threat not only to Israel and America but also to some Arab nations.

“No Arab states are condemning Israel over Iran because Iran is also a problem for them,” he said, citing deep-rooted tensions between Sunni Arab states and Shiite-majority Iran.