The ceasefire between Iran and Israel is a most welcome development, a rare flicker of hope in a region too often wracked by war, mistrust, and geopolitical rivalries. While fragile and fraught with uncertainty, this cessation of hostilities provides a crucial window to shift from armed confrontation to constructive dialogue. The international community must seize this moment, not with complacency, but with urgency and purpose.

It is imperative that Iran, Israel, and all relevant stakeholders be brought to the negotiating table, not merely to resolve their immediate disputes, but to establish mechanisms for long-term peace and stability. The costs of failure are too high. The recent hostilities also risked spiraling into a wider regional war that would have engulfed neighboring nations, disrupted global oil supplies, and deepened the wounds of an already polarized international system.

The importance of dialogue cannot be overstated. It is the only path that leads away from devastation and toward reconciliation. True peace cannot be achieved at gunpoint — it must be built on mutual respect, compromise, and a shared vision for the future. In this context, the revival and enhancement of the Iran Nuclear Deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), is paramount.

This agreement, while imperfect, remains the most viable framework for preventing nuclear proliferation in the region. But it can only succeed if all parties negotiate in good faith and honor their commitments with sincerity. The world is watching, and history will remember whether leaders rose to the moment or retreated into belligerence.

A just and lasting peace in the Middle East is not only a moral imperative, it is a strategic necessity for global security and economic stability. The region holds more than half of the world’s petroleum reserves. Any prolonged conflict there reverberates across continents — through spikes in oil prices, disruptions in trade, and the displacement of millions. For countries like the Philippines, whose economy is closely tied to energy markets and whose diaspora includes 2.2 million overseas Filipino workers in the Middle East, these dangers are not abstract, they are immediate and deeply personal.

Throughout our public life, we have sought, even in a small way, to contribute to the cause of peace. As Speaker of the House of Representatives and later through international non-government organizations we helped establish — such as the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP), the Centrist Asia Pacific Democrats International (CAPDI), the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP), the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA), and the Asian Peace and Reconciliation Council (APRC) — we modestly promoted regional cooperation and peaceful resolution of conflicts. These platforms were envisioned not just for Asia, but as global forums where political parties, civil society, and religious leaders could come together to foster understanding and partnership.

The ceasefire between Iran and Israel should not be seen as the end of conflict, but as the beginning of a renewed commitment to peace. Let it be the first step in a long journey — a journey that requires courage, wisdom, and above all, the belief that even bitter rivals can find common ground when the alternative is destruction.

Let us hope that the spirit of diplomacy prevails over the drums of war. The world deserves nothing less.