Government Urged to Prioritise Safety of Indonesian Citizens Following Middle East Conflict
JAKARTA — Virtuous Setyaka, an international relations expert from Andalas University (UNAND) in West Sumatra, has advised the Indonesian government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to continue monitoring and prioritising the safety of Indonesian citizens (WNI) in the Middle East, particularly as conflict and escalation in the region intensify.
“The government should begin considering measures to secure Indonesian citizens in the Middle East,” said Setyaka on Sunday (1 March 2026).
The region is currently experiencing escalating tensions and conflict between Iran and the United States and its ally Israel, with ripple effects across several Middle Eastern nations. Several United States military bases in Middle Eastern countries, including Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, have also become targets of missile strikes launched by Iran.
Setyaka expressed concern that without prompt implementation of protective measures for Indonesian citizens currently located in countries engaged in conflict, their safety could be seriously threatened. He believes the Middle East conflict could potentially trigger a regional war involving multiple nations in the area. Consequently, he has recommended that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately take anticipatory steps to protect Indonesian nationals in conflict zones.
The Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh has urged all Indonesian citizens in Saudi Arabia to remain calm, refrain from panic, and increase vigilance regarding developments in their immediate surroundings. The embassy has also requested Indonesian nationals to monitor information from official and credible sources.
For Indonesian citizens requiring assistance, the following contact details for Indonesian diplomatic missions in the Middle East are available:
Bahrain: +97338791650
United Arab Emirates
Embassy in Abu Dhabi: +971566156259
Consulate General in Dubai: +971563322611 and +971564170333
Qatar: +97433322875
Kuwait: +96597206060
Iraq: +9647503979642
Libya: +218944815608
Sudan: +249907978701
Embassy in Cairo: +20 10 22229989
Embassy in Rabat: +212 661-095995
Embassy in Tunis: +216 24 228 888