Foreign Ministry Reaffirms Indonesia's Free and Active Foreign Policy Principle in Middle East Conflict

Jakarta — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kementerian Luar Negeri, Kemlu) emphasised Indonesia’s policy of a free and active foreign policy in addressing the conflict in the Middle East, following US and Israel strikes on Iran. Director-General for Asia Pacific and Africa at Kemlu, Santo Darmosumarto, explained that the position is taken not only as a constitutional mandate, but to enable Indonesia to actively maintain world order. ‘As a form of implementation of our free and active foreign policy and of course the constitutional mandate to participate in maintaining world order, Indonesia hopes to play the role of an honest broker, not an actor taking sides with one party,’ Santo said at a press conference at the Kemlu office in Jakarta, on Friday (6 March 2026). First, the government has issued a statement urging all parties involved in the conflict to stop the violence and immediately pursue steps toward de-escalation. Second, the government has also intensified diplomatic communications with countries in the region to promote dialogue and diplomacy. He said Foreign Minister Sugiono has been in communication with the foreign ministers of Iran, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Saudi Arabia in the past week. ‘What we want to do is to push for a peaceful settlement based on international law,’ Santo said. Finally, the government prioritises the protection of Indonesian citizens (WNI) in the Middle East region to shield them from the effects of the conflict. ‘We ensure that the protection efforts for Indonesian citizens in the Middle East remain the top priority, especially regarding whether evacuation of our people in the region is necessary,’ Santo said.