Indonesia Holds Neutral Stance as US-Israel War with Iran Continues

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has emphasized Indonesia's neutral position in responding to the escalating conflict in the countries affected by the joint attack launched by the United States and Israel on Iran. Santo Darmosumarto, the Director General of Asia Pacific and Africa at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that Indonesia remains committed to the principle of an independent and active foreign policy.

Indonesia claims this stance not only as a manifestation of the constitutional mandate, but also as a way to actively and constructively contribute to maintaining world order.

"As an implementation of our independent and active foreign policy, and of course the constitutional mandate to participate in maintaining world order, Indonesia hopes to act as an honest broker, rather than taking sides," Santo said in a press conference quoted on Saturday, March 7, 2026.

Santo then outlined the three concrete steps the government took to implement the principle of an independent and active foreign policy.

Firstly, the Indonesian government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, released a statement urging all parties involved in the conflict to stop the violence. In the statement, Indonesia also called for immediate de-escalation. Santo mentioned that Indonesia had conveyed this call since the conflict between the U.S.-Israel and Iran erupted on Saturday, February 28, 2026.

Secondly, the government intensified diplomatic communication with countries in the region. According to Santo, this effort was made to encourage dialogue and diplomacy. Additionally, this step conveyed Indonesia's readiness to act as a mediator should the involved parties require it.

Santo mentioned that within a week, Foreign Minister Sugiono had communicated via telephone with the Foreign Ministers of Iran, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Saudi Arabia. In addition, President Prabowo Subianto was said to have communicated with the leaders of the UAE, Emir of Qatar, and King of Jordan.

"Of course, what we want to do is to encourage a peaceful solution based on international law," Santo said.

Thirdly, the government prioritized protecting Indonesian nationals in the Middle East to shield them from the conflict's impact. In this regard, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs coordinated with Indonesian representatives in the affected areas to discuss further protective measures, including the possibility of evacuation.

"We ensure that the protection of Indonesian citizens in the Middle East region remains a top priority, especially regarding whether evacuation is needed for our people in that area," he said.

Read: Iran Warns Countries Backing US Attacks Would Become Targets

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