Following the orders of United States President Donald Trump for his U.S. Navy to block the Strait of Hormuz and intercept any ship that paid a crossing fee to Iran, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has called on all parties involved in the Middle East tensions to respect freedom of navigation.

In a statement on Monday, the ASEAN said they reaffirm the importance of maintaining maritime safety and security, and upholding freedom of navigation in and overflight above straits used for international navigation, in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS, and the relevant standards and recommended practices by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO)

“In this regard, we call for the restoration of the safe, unimpeded, and continuous transit passage of vessels and aircraft in the Strait of Hormuz in line with the 1982 UNCLOS, as well as for all parties to ensure the safety of seafarers and ships in accordance with the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS),” the regional bloc said.

On the other hand, they urged the US and the Islamic Republic of Iran to continue negotiations that will lead to the permanent end of the conflict and lasting peace and stability in the region.

“We call for the full and effective implementation of the ceasefire, aimed at preventing further suffering and loss of lives, ensuring maritime security and freedom of navigation and overflight, especially for merchant, non-combatant vessels and aircraft in accordance with the 1982 UNCLOS, minimizing disruption to the flow of energy and essential goods, and mitigating its adverse impact on global economic stability,” the ASEAN statement read.

Further, the ASEAN said they reaffirm the obligations of all States to resolve their differences through peaceful means, “to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations, to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure in armed conflicts, and to ensure the safety and security of UN peacekeepers and humanitarian personnel, in line with international law, the United Nations Charter and relevant UNSC resolutions.”

Trump resorted to his decision to block the Strait of Hormuz after marathon talks between the US and Iran in Pakistan over the weekend (US time) did not yield a peace deal.