Middle East situation heating up; MPR Chairman calls on public to maintain national unity

JAKARTA – The chairman of the Indonesian Parliament (MPR), Ahmad Muzani, has urged all Indonesian citizens to maintain solidarity amid the increasingly volatile situation in the Middle East.

He conveyed this message in response to the global situation following attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran.

“We must remain united and steadfast; we cannot allow national interest to be superseded by personal interests or emotional considerations,” Muzani said when met at the Sunda Kelapa Grand Mosque in Menteng, Central Jakarta, on Monday (2 March 2026).

“The situation is heating up and it is highly unpredictable. Whilst we hope the impact will not be felt too severely domestically, the reality is that there will inevitably be repercussions,” Muzani stated.

In the tradition of state governance, Muzani noted that even the most serious situations can be navigated successfully if the public and government are unified.

“We must all maintain our cohesion, unity, and togetherness to protect our national interests and state sovereignty,” Muzani said.

Tensions in the Middle East have intensified following reciprocal attacks between Israel and Hezbollah, whilst the United States has expanded its involvement in the conflict with Iran.

US President Donald Trump has stated he will retaliate for the deaths of American military personnel and indicated that the conflict with Iran could potentially last for weeks.

A joint statement issued by the US State Department alongside Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates characterised such actions as reckless and destabilising behaviour.