JK Reveals Why Iran Is Difficult to Defeat in War, Here's the Explanation
Indonesia’s 10th and 12th Vice President, Jusuf Kalla (JK), spotlighted Iran’s defensive strength amid intensifying global geopolitical tensions. JK assessed that Iran is a nation difficult to defeat due to its superiority in mastering military technology.
“Perhaps today Iran is attacked, but Iran will fight back. Because modern warfare is not a war of manpower, it’s a war of technology. Whoever masters the technology wins,” JK stated during a public lecture at the University of Indonesia (UI) in Depok on Tuesday (7 April 2026).
JK then compared Iran’s situation to that of Palestine. According to him, the primary factor that makes a nation difficult to endure in modern warfare is technological independence.
“Why did Palestine lose? Because it has no technology. Why does Iran endure? Because its technology is strong. Under the mountains, they build tunnels, they make (weapons). Where do the experts come from? From universities,” he asserted.
Furthermore, JK discussed the roots of Iran’s strength stemming from the Persian nation. He noted that the Persian people have a long history as a centre of world knowledge, from mathematicians to physicians.
“In Islamic history, the experts in science and technology from the 7th to 8th centuries were mostly from Persia. The mathematician Al-Khwarizmi was Persian, the physician Ibn Sina was from Persia, the astronomer was also Persian. So Persia indeed has a spirit of knowledge,” JK remarked.
Not only regarding knowledge, JK mentioned that the Iranian nation’s mentality was shaped because they have a different historical record from other Arab countries.
“It (Iran) was never colonised. Arab countries were colonised by Britain and France, but Iran or Persia was not,” he added.
Additionally, JK highlighted the military strength of the United States (US). He assessed that the US often initiates wars as a bluff against other countries, particularly in the Middle East, to sell their weapons.
“America has never won a war after World War II. In Korea, it couldn’t win, in Vietnam it fled in disarray, in Afghanistan it fled too, in Iraq it was the same,” said JK.
According to JK, Iran realises that the US mostly uses economic influence and arms diplomacy. This is what makes Iran unafraid to face pressure from that superpower.
“All Arab countries have only recently realised that America is just bluffing to provide all sorts of help, ultimately buying weapons worth billions of dollars. Therefore, if you study international relations, you must know history,” he concluded.