MUI Criticises Board of Peace Over US-Israel Collaboration in Attack on Iran

The Council of Islamic Scholars of Indonesia (MUI) has issued an official statement condemning the joint attack by the United States and Israel against Iran on Saturday, 28 February. In the rocket assault by the US and Israel over the weekend, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and members of his family were reportedly among those killed.

MUI has been forthright in criticising the position of the Board of Peace (BoP), an initiative launched and established by US President Donald Trump to address the Gaza crisis and Middle East stability. MUI has questioned the stance of the Board of Peace—in which Indonesia is also a member—when the US is collaborating with Israel in bombing Iran with rockets or missiles.

According to MUI, the US is playing a role through the Board of Peace in the conflict. MUI has questioned whether the BoP is directed towards just peace or instead strengthens an imbalanced security architecture that undermines Palestinian independence.

MUI believes the strategic motives behind this attack should be suspected as a systematic attempt to weaken Iran’s strategic position in the region whilst limiting Iran’s support for the Palestinian independence struggle.

In the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, MUI has urged various countries to act as mediators to stop military attacks that could become an instrument of political pressure to secure Israel’s regional dominance over Palestine.

“For this reason, MUI urges the Indonesian government to withdraw from the BoP membership as it is deemed ineffective in achieving true peace in Palestine,” states the MUI position paper in Letter No. Kep-28/DP-MUI/III/2026.

The official position of MUI was signed by MUI Chairman KH Anwar Iskandar and MUI Secretary-General Buya Amirsyah Tambunan.

According to MUI, the attack by the US and Israel on Iran constitutes a violation of a nation’s sovereign borders. The assault is also stated to contradict Indonesia’s constitution, the 1945 Constitution.

“MUI condemns the Israeli attack supported by America, because it contradicts the values of humanity and the 1945 Constitution, namely ‘to support the implementation of world order, based on freedom, lasting peace, and social justice,’” MUI stated in its statement on Sunday, 1 March.

MUI believes that Trump’s move to collaborate with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in attacking Iran has triggered a regional war involving various powers, both directly and through proxies.

MUI views the retaliatory attacks between the two sides as a serious escalation that could provoke wider conflict in the Middle East. According to MUI, this situation cannot be overlooked.

“Because of this, to avoid wider escalation, America and Israel must stop their attacks on Iran because it contradicts Article 2 of the UN Declaration,” said MUI.

Furthermore, MUI views the attack as a systematic attempt to weaken Iran’s position in the Middle East whilst limiting support from the Islamic state for the Palestinian independence struggle.

Regarding the current situation, MUI has also urged the United Nations (UN) and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to intervene in resolving the issues in the Gulf region.

MUI has called on all countries to act as mediators in the conflict and stop the use of military attacks in limiting Israel’s dominance over Palestine.

Indonesia’s Government Position and Options for Leaving the BoP

President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto has expressed his readiness to facilitate dialogue amid the tense and volatile conditions in the Middle East following confirmation of the US and Israeli attacks on Iran. Prabowo is even said to be prepared to travel to Tehran, Iran.

“The Government of Indonesia, in this case the President of the Republic of Indonesia, has stated its readiness to facilitate dialogue for the restoration of conducive security conditions and, if agreed by both parties, the President of Indonesia is willing to travel to Tehran to conduct mediation,” quoted from the @Kemlu_RI X account on Saturday, 28 February.

In response, Iran has welcomed Prabowo’s offer to act as mediator in the conflict between the Middle Eastern nation and the US collaborating with Israel.

Iran’s welcome is set out in the official statement of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Jakarta on Sunday, 1 March. In the release, they also urged Indonesian officials to take a firm stance regarding the actions of the US and Israel.

“The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Indonesia, whilst expressing appreciation for the consistent support of the Indonesian Government and people and welcoming the readiness of the President of the Republic of Indonesia to mediate in this conflict, emphasises the importance of Indonesian officials taking a firm stance in condemning the aggression and crimes of the United States and the Zionist Israeli regime,” states the official statement from the Iranian Embassy.

Meanwhile, regarding Indonesia’s position in the BoP, Prabowo has affirmed the option for the Republic of Indonesia to leave the BoP when the multilateral organisation is unable to achieve the primary objectives that have been pursued.

This was conveyed by Prabowo when meeting with the leaders of 16 Islamic community organisations and several prominent Muslim figures from Indonesia at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday, 3 February. The same message was also conveyed when receiving several former Indonesian Foreign Ministers and senior Indonesian diplomats or diplomats at the Palace the following day, Wednesday, 4 February.

“Yes, if it is indeed not in line with what we desire, first the situation of peace in Gaza in particular, then the situation of peace in Palestine in general, and finally Palestinian independence and sovereignty, and I believe that is the trajectory we want to achieve which we see I believe the corridors are there,” said Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono at the Presidential Palace Complex in Jakarta when asked about the possibility of Indonesia leaving the BoP on 3 February.