Government Urged to Immediately Evacuate Indonesian Citizens Trapped in Iran-Israel Conflict

Jakarta — Hikmahanto Juwana, professor of international law at the University of Indonesia, has advised the Indonesian government to immediately evacuate Indonesian citizens (WNI) as tensions escalate in the Middle East. According to Hikmahanto, this measure is vital to protect Indonesian citizens from potential untoward incidents. “Immediately conduct evacuations to safer countries,” Hikmahanto said when contacted by Kompas.com on Tuesday (3 March 2026).

He further stated: “Ensure United States interests in Indonesia are secure and that there is no public anger directed at the United States that could be vented towards the US embassy or American nationals.”

As such, Indonesian citizens have been urged to monitor official information from local authorities and Indonesian diplomatic representatives, and to maintain close communication with local representations. “The primary priority of the Indonesian government at present is the protection of Indonesian citizens in the Middle East region,” said Yvonne Mewengkang, a spokesperson for the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, when contacted on Tuesday (3 March 2026).