Expert Highlights Indonesia's Absence of Special Delegation at Khamenei's Funeral

An international law expert has stated that the Indonesian government should have sent an official delegation to the funeral of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, to maintain the consistency of its ‘free and active’ foreign policy. Professor Hikmahanto Juwana of the University of Indonesia argued that sending a delegation would demonstrate that Indonesia remains consistent in its independent foreign policy amidst the escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. He warned that the absence of a special representative could be interpreted as Indonesia siding with a particular bloc. “This is considered a failure to internalise what the first President Soekarno voiced, that imperialist powers, mostly from Europe and the United States, must be ended and all countries must have equal standing,” he said on Monday. Hikmahanto further viewed Iran as the aggrieved party in the ongoing conflict, asserting that Iran did not initiate the war and pointing to the United States and Israel as the parties that triggered the escalation. “In the current war, Iran is the wronged party because they did not start it. It was actually Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu who started it,” he stated. He added that Trump even invited European NATO countries to attack Iran, but they refused. Hikmahanto questioned why Indonesia would not side with the wronged party. He also expressed concern that the government’s decision not to send a delegation could spark negative perceptions domestically, with the public potentially questioning the government’s consistency in its stance towards Iran. He emphasised that sending a delegation is not merely a symbol of diplomatic respect but also reflects Indonesia’s consistency in pursuing an independent foreign policy amid rising global tensions. The Iranian Embassy in Jakarta previously announced a list of countries sending special delegations to the funeral, which included Russia, China, Pakistan, India, Turkey, and Malaysia. Indonesia was represented by its Ambassador to Tehran, Rolliansyah Soemirat.