Megawati Sends Condolence Letter to Iran, PDIP East Java Says It Reflects Statesmanship

Secretary of the PDIP East Java Branch, Deni Wicaksono, said the party’s General Chair Megawati Soekarnoputri demonstrated the bearing of a statesman. Some time ago, Indonesia’s fifth President conveyed a condolence letter to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. According to Deni, the gesture reflects statesman leadership that places humanity and world peace above various geopolitical interests. Deni said the message conveyed by Megawati was not only an expression of sympathy for the death of a world leader, but also contained a moral message important for the international community amid rising tensions in the Middle East. ‘In a global situation full of tension like today, Ibu Megawati’s statement reminds us that conflict resolution must be pursued through dialogue, fair negotiations, and respect for international law. This is a display of statesmanship consistent with Indonesia’s diplomatic tradition since the Bung Karno era,’ Deni said in a written statement, Wednesday (4 March 2026). In her letter, Megawati expressed deep condolences to the Iranian government and people, and remembered Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a cleric and statesman who has led his country in a geopolitically complex and pressured situation. Megawati also emphasised the importance of upholding the principle of resolving disputes through peaceful means and rejecting unilateral military aggression that could jeopardise regional or global stability. The PDIP East Java DPD viewed the gesture as reflecting the continuity of values that have long formed the foundation of Indonesia’s foreign policy, namely the spirit of national independence, solidarity among developing countries, and a commitment to world peace. According to Deni, Megawati’s views also align with the spirit of the 1955 Bandung Conference in Bandung, which produced the Bandung Principles as a guide to the ethics of international relations for countries that reject colonialism, domination by great powers, and various forms of global injustice. ‘The Bandung Principles place respect for sovereignty, peaceful settlement of disputes, and solidarity among nations as the main principles. In the context of the current Middle East crisis, the message from Ibu Megawati feels relevant as a moral reminder to the international community,’ Deni explained. The East Java DPD also believes that Megawati’s views show the continuity of Indonesia’s geopolitical thinking, which from the outset was fostered by Bung Karno—namely an effort to build a fairer world order, free from imperialism and the hegemonies of great powers, and aligned with universal humanity. ‘We see that Ibu Megawati speaks not only as a national political figure but as a stateswoman reminding the international community of the moral direction: that peace must be built through dialogue and respect for the dignity of every nation,’ Deni said. The PDIP East Java DPD hopes tensions in the Middle East will ease promptly through diplomacy and peaceful negotiations, so that regional stability can be restored and civilian suffering avoided. ‘The legacy of Bung Karno’s thought on the brotherhood of nations and a more just world order remains relevant today. Those are the values that Ibu Megawati is reminding the world of amid the ongoing global crisis,’ he concluded.