Iranian Ambassador Offers Drone Technology for Non-Military Use, Urges Indonesia Not to Fear Trump's Tariff Threats
Iran’s Ambassador to Indonesia, Mohammad Boroujerdi, has offered Indonesian agencies and institutions the opportunity to adopt new Iranian technologies, including drones, for non-military applications.
“When we talk about drones, we usually think their use is limited to one thing, but that is not the case. You know there are a great many peaceful ways to use drones in agriculture and other economic sectors,” Boroujerdi said in Jakarta on Saturday (14 February 2026).
Boroujerdi stressed that bilateral relations with Iran remain mutually beneficial and urged Indonesia not to worry about tariff threats from the United States. President Donald Trump previously announced in January the imposition of 25 per cent tariffs on all countries that continue to trade with Iran.
On the matter, Boroujerdi explained that more than 100 countries currently maintain economic relations with Iran, and they have no problems with what the US has said.
Boroujerdi believes that independent nations such as Indonesia and Iran should continue their economic cooperation as normal. “If they want to get through this difficult era, they must expand cooperation between both countries, bilaterally and multilaterally, and show the US that it cannot dictate its rules to the entire world,” he said.
The ambassador said Tehran is pursuing cooperation with Indonesia in the field of new technologies. “We are currently working on cooperation between both sides, Iranian and Indonesian companies,” he said.
Boroujerdi stated that Iran is one of the most advanced countries in the world in new technologies, including nanotechnology, biotechnology, nuclear technology, health technology, medical equipment production, agricultural technology, and other emerging technologies.
Meanwhile, University of Indonesia Middle East analyst Agung Nurwijoyo acknowledged that cooperation with Iran on drone technology development carries risks. He assessed that potential pressure from other countries is highly likely, even if not always overt.
Nurwijoyo said such pressure could escalate dramatically if drone cooperation were directly linked to defence and Middle East conflicts. He therefore considers it important for Indonesia to establish a clear framework for cooperation.
One of the advantages of Iranian drones is their ability to produce unmanned aircraft at relatively low cost. A report cited Iranian production costs of between US$35,000 and US$40,000 per unit, whilst US manufacturers may charge up to US$41 million for a comparable model.