Governor of West Nusa Tenggara Monitors Citizens in 7 Countries Affected by US-Israel-Iran Conflict
The Governor of West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), Lalu Muhamad Iqbal, continues to monitor the whereabouts of NTB citizens in seven nations affected by the escalating tensions in the Middle East resulting from the US-Israel conflict with Iran. The seven nations are Iran, Saudi Arabia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait.
Iqbal maintains direct communication with several Indonesian embassies to ensure the safety of Indonesian nationals from NTB in the Middle East.
“We have already communicated with the Indonesian Embassy in Tehran, the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh, the Indonesian Embassy in Muscat, the Indonesian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, the Indonesian Embassy in Manama, the Indonesian Embassy in Doha, and the Indonesian Embassy in Kuwait City,” Iqbal stated in an official statement on Monday, 2 March 2026.
Iqbal stressed that this effort is part of his responsibility as a regional leader towards his citizens, including those abroad.
“We are obliged to ensure that NTB citizens abroad remain under state protection, particularly in the context of developing geopolitical situations such as the current one,” said the former Indonesian ambassador to Turkey.
From communications with several embassies, Iqbal reported that Indonesian ambassadors are ensuring that registered Indonesian nationals are under intensive monitoring through Indonesian community networks in the seven nations. Further discussions will be held to determine anticipatory measures should the situation worsen.
“Each embassy has activated contingency plans as a mitigation measure should the situation develop further,” he explained.
Iqbal has also specifically directed attention to NTB citizens with Indonesian representatives in the seven-nation region. To this end, he urged NTB residents with family members in the Middle East to ensure their relatives’ whereabouts are recorded with the nearest Indonesian embassy or consulate.
“Those not yet registered can immediately contact the official representatives of the Indonesian mission in their respective countries. We also encourage people to remain calm. Ensure that communication with embassies or consulates continues and follow official guidance from Indonesian representatives,” he said.
Iqbal acknowledged that he previously handled the protection of Indonesian nationals in conflict zones during his tenure at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This experience contributed to strengthening coordination to ensure that protective measures can be implemented swiftly and measurably.
Based on this experience, Iqbal stated that the NTB provincial government will continue to coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Indonesian representatives in the respective countries to respond to developments in the US-Israel-Iran tensions.
“We will continue to monitor and coordinate regularly. Local governments must not be complacent regarding global situations with the potential to impact our citizens,” he concluded.