Manila, April 13 -- Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Monday underscored the importance of the two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran for maritime safety and security.

In a statement, the ministers also called for safe and continuous transit in the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman essential for global energy security.

"[W]e 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 (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea)," they said.

They also called on all parties in the conflict to ensure the safety of seafarers and ships in acco...