Before Prabowo, Luhut: Iran is an Aryan nation, not easily conquered!

JAKARTA — Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Chair of the National Economic Council (DEN), has assessed that Iran will not be easily conquered despite ongoing attacks by the United States and Israel.

Luhut made these remarks before President Prabowo Subianto during a Cabinet session at the Palace in Jakarta on Friday, 13 March 2026.

“Looking at Operation Fury and Operation Luring Lion, the distinctive attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran, they are targeting three things: disabling Iran’s air defence, crippling Iran’s capacity, and so forth,” Luhut said.

“The Iranian nation is indeed an Aryan nation, so it is not easily conquered,” he continued.

However, Luhut observed that Iran has deployed drones capable of striking from virtually anywhere. Consequently, Luhut characterised the conflict unfolding in the Middle East as a technology war.

“The number of missiles fired by Iran has declined sharply, with reports indicating that 50 per cent of missile launches have been destroyed. But one must not forget that they have produced cheap drones that can be fired from almost anywhere. Artificial intelligence technology is also developing. So this is, in my view, a war of technology and also the spirit to resist,” Luhut said.

This assessment is based on data Luhut has received indicating that many Iranian drone factories have been destroyed by the United States.

“Based on the intelligence we have received, the Americans are indeed targeting the destruction of factories, arsenals, and launch sites. However, Iran is also quite clever. They have implemented mobile launching systems,” he said.