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Cristina Chi - Philstar.com
April 1, 2026 | 5:11pm
A person points at a page on the Marinetraffic website that shows commercial boats traffic on the edge of the Strait of Hormuz near the Iranian coast, in Paris on March 4, 2026.
AFP / Julien dela Rosa
MANILA, Philippines — Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro said Wednesday, April 1, she has discussed "energy cooperation" with Iran, but it remains unclear whether the talks addressed the current top concern for Manila: securing fuel shipments through the volatile Strait of Hormuz.
Lazaro shared her meeting with Iranian Ambassador Yousef Esmaeilzadeh in a social media post, saying both sides were “committed to deepening cooperation… particularly energy cooperation." The talks were also joined by Energy Secretary Sharon Garin.
"Building on the momentum of our Political Consultations last November 2025, we are committed to deepening our cooperation across all fronts, particularly energy cooperation," Lazaro said in a social media post.
But beyond the broad statement, no specifics have been released, including whether Manila raised the possibility of securing assurances from Tehran on allowing Philippine-bound ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro (L), Iranian Ambassador Yousef Esmaeilzadeh (C) and Energy Secretary Sharon Garin (R) hold talks April 1, 2026.
DFA / Released
The meeting comes as the Marcos administration faces mounting pressure to shore up fuel supply lines amid tensions in the Middle East, which began on February 28 when the United States and Israel jointly struck Iran, prompting retaliatory attacks from Tehran.
Fuel prices have since reached historic highs in the Philippines, a major oil importer, prompting a declaration of a national energy emergency.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Tuesday, March 31, that the president had directed officials to pursue talks with Iran to help ensure the continued passage of Philippine-bound oil shipments.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian also earlier urged the government to open high-level discussions with Iran.
Data cited by the Department of Energy show that as much as 96% to 98% of the country’s crude oil imports come from the Middle East.
