Indonesia Ready to Face Global Escalation, Take on Role as Mediator

Minister of Foreign Affairs Sugiono delivers a press statement at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, Tuesday (03/03).

The Government has taken anticipatory measures to protect Indonesian citizens as the conflict in the Middle East escalates, according to Minister of Foreign Affairs Sugiono.

Sugiono pointed out that he has ordered the Indonesian Ambassador in Tehran, Iran, to prepare for the evacuation of Indonesian citizens in the region.

“Not all Indonesian citizens in affected areas conveyed their wish to be evacuated. However, some are willing to be evacuated from Iran, and I ordered [the Ambassador] to proceed with the gradual evacuation measures,” he said in a press statement at Merdeka Palace following President Prabowo’s meeting with national figures at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday (03/03).

Sugiono underscored the dynamic situation, adding that the Government would continue to monitor the developments closely. “The President also added that whatever happens, we must be ready to face all possibilities,” he said.

The Minister also explained his communication with the Foreign Minister of Iran, during which Iran stated its position, and Indonesia reaffirmed its consistency.

“We certainly expressed Indonesia’s stance that we regret that the negotiation failed, which led to the escalation. We also underscored our enduring principles of honoring a nation’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. We also stressed the importance of going back to the negotiation table,” he said.

During the talk with his Iranian counterpart, Sugiono also conveyed that Indonesia is ready to act as a mediator to de-escalate the conflict.

“We restated the President’s wish to be a mediator to cool down and de-escalate the conflict in the region. These are the views that he accepted,” he said.

For the record, President Prabowo discussed the developments of the current domestic and global situations, including the ever-changing dynamics in the Middle East, during the meeting with national figures, which was attended by the Republic of Indonesia’s former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, former President Joko Widodo, former Vice President Ma’ruf Amin, former Vice President Jusuf Kalla, and former Vice President Boediono. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat) (DH/AW)