Megawati Sends Condolence Letter to Iranian Government over Khamenei's Death

Former President of the Republic of Indonesia Megawati Soekarnoputri has sent a condolence letter regarding the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in attacks by the United States and Israel. The letter was delivered directly to the Iranian Ambassador to Indonesia.

The letter was presented by Secretary General of the PDI Perjuangan Central Board Hasto Kristiyanto and Head of the Central Board’s Foreign Affairs Division Ahmad Basarah at the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Jakarta on Tuesday afternoon (3 March). The letter was received by Iranian Ambassador to Indonesia Mohammad Boroujerdi.

“PDI Perjuangan thinks, acts and conducts itself according to the ideology of Pancasila both for the Indonesian people and the world. This stance is what Mrs Megawati Soekarnoputri conveyed when expressing her condolences over the death of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei,” said Hasto in his statement.

He emphasised that independence is the right of all nations. According to him, this has become the doctrine of Indonesia’s free and active foreign policy.

“The Preamble to the 1945 Constitution affirms that independence is the right of all nations, therefore colonialism in the world must be eliminated because it is incompatible with humanity and justice. This stance is the doctrine of a free and active foreign policy,” he said.

In her letter, Megawati expressed sympathy and condolences over Khamenei’s death. Megawati described Khamenei as a scholar and statesman who was consistent in his line of struggle.

Megawati stated that she stands with the Iranian people in opposing unilateral military aggression. She emphasised that conflict resolution must be pursued through dialogue and negotiation.

“On this occasion, I need to reaffirm that the Indonesian nation stands with the Iranian people in rejecting and strongly condemning all forms of unilateral military aggression that violate state sovereignty and endanger regional and global peace,” said Megawati in her letter.

“We believe in the principles we have upheld since the era of Bung Karno until today, namely that conflict resolution must be pursued through dialogue, fair negotiation, and respect for international law, not through violence and the use of armed force,” she added.

The following is the full text of Megawati’s letter to the Iranian government:

With a shocked and deeply grieving heart, I Prof. Dr. Megawati Soekarnoputri as the 5th President of the Republic of Indonesia and representing the extended family of Dr. (H.C.) Ir. Soekarno (Bung Karno), as well as General Chairman of PDI Perjuangan, convey my condolences over the death of His Excellency Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, who fell in a sudden military attack launched by Israel and the United States against Iranian territory on 28 February 2026. On behalf of myself and the extended family of Bung Karno, and representing the Indonesian nation and people who cherish peace, justice and the sovereignty of an independent state, I convey our sincere sympathy and solidarity to the family, government, and entire people of Iran.

For more than three decades, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei led his nation in an extremely difficult situation, amid geopolitical pressures, economic sanctions, and military threats, whilst consistently maintaining his country’s sovereignty and the dignity of the Islamic world. In him we see a scholar and statesman who sought to combine religious faith, social justice, and anti-imperialist principles in one consistent line of struggle.

For us in Indonesia, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei holds a spiritual and intellectual closeness to the struggle of Bung Karno, as the Father of the Nation, Proclaimer and First President of the Republic of Indonesia.

Various testimonies show how from a young age he admired Bung Karno, read his ideas, and made the Indonesian experience, particularly Pancasila and the spirit of the Bandung Ten Principles, as one of the references in formulating a synthesis between religion, nationality and social justice in Iran. In his leadership we discerned echoes of the spirit of anti-colonialism, third-world solidarity, and the determination to reject all forms of domination and global injustice.

As the eldest daughter of Bung Karno, an initiator of the Asia-Africa Conference and one of the architects of the Non-Aligned Movement, I deeply feel the historical and ideological bond between the Indonesian and Iranian peoples. This brotherhood was forged not only through formal diplomacy, but also through shared destiny as nations that opposed various forms of colonialism, fought for independence, and desired a more just and dignified world order.

Today, I recall my official visit to Tehran in 2004, in my capacity as President of the Republic of Indonesia. The visit was to attend the D-8 Conference and to strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between our two nations. At that time I had the opportunity to meet Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. I felt a warm welcome of friendship and the charisma of leadership that emanated from him. I remember directly inviting him to come to Indonesia to attend the International Islamic Scholars Conference in Jakarta in February 2004 and the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Asia-Africa Conference in 2005, although he did not have the opportunity to visit Indonesia until the end of his life.

On various occasions, I myself experienced the warmth, respect, and closeness of Iranian leaders, who always referred to Indonesia as an old friend in the line of struggle against colonialism, imperialism and the Non-Aligned Movement. The memory of those meetings now holds even greater significance as we must accept the departure of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

On this occasion, I need to reaffirm that the Indonesian nation stands with the Iranian people in rejecting and strongly condemning all forms of unilateral military aggression that violate state sovereignty and endanger regional and global peace. We believe in the principles we have upheld since the era of Bung Karno until today, that conflict resolution must be pursued through dialogue, fair negotiation, and respect for international law, not through violence and the use of armed force.