After Meeting US Treasury Secretary, Purbaya Warns Iran Conflict Could Be Prolonged

Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa has reminded that upcoming economic challenges are still substantial. This is because global markets have yet to show improvement. Therefore, the former LPS head has warned that Indonesia must remain alert.

Additionally, he assessed that Indonesia must be able to sustain strong growth as capital for resilience against global shocks.

“So we must ensure that the domestic economy grows well,” he stressed during the APBN KITA press conference on Tuesday (5/5/2026).

He explained that Indonesia cannot do much regarding the problems of global economic dynamics. Purbaya then shared his experience while attending the IMF-World Bank annual meeting last April.

During the event, Purbaya recounted meeting US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The treasurer of the Trump administration shared the US strategy for achieving peace with Iran.

Hearing this strategy, Purbaya was pessimistic. He saw the US as portraying Iran as the losing party in the war, with the US as the winner. From Bessent’s presentation, Purbaya said he is convinced that a peace agreement will not be reached in the near future. Therefore, all parties must prepare for a prolonged conflict in the Middle East.

“It certainly won’t reach that agreement, so we must prepare for a prolonged conflict. From the start, I thought the war would be over in 1-2 months, but it turns out not,” he stated.