Airlangga states US-Israel attacks on Iran could disrupt supply chains: Government prepares alternative oil sources
Jakarta, Kompas.com - The Minister of Economic Coordination Airlangga Hartarto has stated that the conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran has the potential to disrupt global oil supplies and drive up energy prices.
Consequently, the government is implementing preventive measures by securing alternative supply sources outside the Middle East.
According to Airlangga, the Middle East region plays a strategically important role in the global oil supply chain, and any escalation of conflict in this area will have direct consequences for global energy distribution.
“Clearly, if Iran is affected, the disruption will certainly impact oil supply. And oil supply is affected because the Strait of Hormuz is being disrupted, not to mention the Red Sea. So we need to see how long this conflict will continue,” Airlangga said when met with journalists at the Ministry of Economic Coordination on Monday (2 February 2026).
“The government already has memoranda of understanding to obtain supplies from non-Middle East sources. For example, Pertamina recently signed memoranda of understanding with several American companies, including Chevron, ExxonMobil, and others,” he said.
Beyond the United States, the government is also exploring options to import oil from various other countries, including monitoring supply opportunities from Russia. “Of course we monitor which sources are available and which can be imported,” Airlangga said.
Airlangga also acknowledged that rising global crude oil prices have the potential to impact fuel prices, as happened during the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
“Naturally prices will rise, just as they did during the Ukraine war. However, this time supply from America will also increase and OPEC is also ramping up its capacity,” he said.
Nevertheless, the government continues to monitor global market dynamics and is working to maintain the stability of national energy supply.
Diversifying import sources has become one of the primary strategies to reduce dependence on conflict-affected regions, including strategic distribution routes such as the Strait of Hormuz, which is one of the critical points in global oil trade.
The government hopes these anticipatory measures will maintain national energy resilience and minimise the impact of geopolitical volatility on the domestic economy.
Airlangga stated that the impact of the conflict is not limited to the energy sector, but could also affect logistics and tourism sectors.
Supply disruptions and rising transportation costs could dampen both global and domestic economic activity.
He added that the impact on Indonesian exports will depend largely on the duration of the conflict. “Well, of course it depends on how long the conflict lasts. Again, we will just monitor whether this war lasts long or is a 12-day war or whatever duration it takes,” he said.