Legislator urges Indonesian embassy to take emergency measures to protect Umrah pilgrims
Jakarta - A member of Commission VIII of Indonesia’s House of Representatives, Maman Imanul Haq, has called on the government through the Indonesian Embassy (KBRI) in the Middle East region to take emergency measures to protect thousands of Indonesian Umrah pilgrims.
“The safety and protection of Indonesian citizens must be the top priority. The state must ensure they are safe, receive adequate logistics, and have access to reliable information,” said Maman in a statement confirmed in Jakarta on Sunday.
He made the statement following US and Israeli attacks on Iran, which prompted the closure of airspace around the conflict zone and resulted in pilgrims being stranded at various transit airports.
He further requested intensive cross-sectoral coordination between the Foreign Ministry, Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, and Ministry of Transportation to develop concrete mitigation schemes. These could include flight route diversions and provision of temporary accommodation for pilgrims stranded in transit countries.
“We are asking the government to take swift mitigation steps, starting from registering affected pilgrims, providing accommodation, and establishing safe return schemes if the situation permits. Pilgrims should not be left without certainty at airports,” he said.
He also emphasised the need for an official single-point information centre to prevent panic among pilgrims’ families in Indonesia. He reminded the government to actively provide regular information updates to the public to prevent the spread of misinformation on social media.
“The government must be the primary source of information in this crisis situation. Pilgrims’ families should not receive information from invalid sources,” he said.
Additionally, he called on Umrah organisers to actively coordinate with the Indonesian Embassy to ensure they support the pilgrims. For the pilgrims themselves, he urged them to remain calm and follow instructions from local authorities and Indonesian representatives in the countries where they are stranded.
“We hope Umrah pilgrims remain calm and prioritise their personal safety,” he said.
He assured that Commission VIII of the House of Representatives would continue to monitor developments in this situation until all Indonesian citizens are confirmed to be in safe positions.
In a separate development, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah stated it is closely monitoring the condition of pilgrims in Saudi Arabia following the US-Israeli attacks on Iran. According to reports through the Computerised System for Managing Umrah and Special Hajj (SISKOPATUH), approximately 58,873 Indonesian Umrah participants are still in Saudi Arabia.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah urged prospective Umrah pilgrims to postpone their departures.
Israel previously launched attacks on Iran on 28 February 2026. On the same occasion, US President Donald Trump stated that US military forces had launched major combat operations in Iran. One of the US and Israeli strikes involved seven rockets that struck Tehran near the residence of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Subsequently, Iran launched rocket attacks against Israel and several other targets in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain.
The Indonesian Foreign Ministry stated that President Prabowo Subianto is ready to travel to Iran to facilitate dialogue aimed at restoring a conducive security environment. On 1 March 2026, the Iranian government confirmed the death of Ali Khamenei and declared a 40-day mourning period and one week of work suspension.