SBY's Open Message as the United States and Iran Stand on the Brink of War
Former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) has issued an open message to Donald Trump and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as well as world leaders whilst the United States and Iran stand on the brink of war.
SBY stated that this message is intended for all political leaders globally who possess the power to decide whether to initiate warfare.
SBY noted that soldiers and military officers possess common sense, conviction, and hope. They are certainly prepared to sacrifice their lives if necessary. However, SBY cautioned that warfare is also determined by what resides in the hearts and minds of soldiers.
“There is a beautiful phrase that political leaders – presidents or prime ministers – must remember: ‘Soldiers will not fight and die, unless they know what they fight and die for,’” SBY said on his X account, @SBYudhoyono, on Saturday, 28 February 2026.
SBY also highlighted ongoing negotiations between Iran and the United States taking place in Geneva, Switzerland. According to him, negotiations concerning the future of Iran’s nuclear programme are extremely complex, as the two nations’ interests diverge significantly. Moreover, both countries are confronting each other and preparing for war.
“Negotiators must also be astute in reading the minds of the two leaders who have mandated them,” SBY said.
Negotiators must be prepared to compromise and willing to give and take according to the wishes of both national leaders. SBY believes that specifically regarding US-Iran negotiations, both Donald Trump and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei possess unique characteristics. “Both possess ego, ambition, and personal interests,” SBY noted.
SBY stated that Trump is concerned about failure, as his reputation and desired legacy could be destroyed. Similarly, Ali Khamenei worries that this tension with America could end poorly, potentially resulting in regime change and his removal. “This constitutes a survival interest for the Iranian leader,” he said.
SBY also highlighted the numerous predictions suggesting that if these negotiations fail, a major war will erupt imminently, with only Trump and Khamenei’s orders awaited.
According to SBY, Trump and Khamenei will not act rashly in ordering their troops to war, as the risks and costs of miscalculation are too high. Consequently, both leaders will consider alternatives to war. “A nation will engage in war only if rational calculation guarantees that war can be won,” SBY said.
SBY stated that although the United States boasts of destroying Iran, Trump must also consider how to exit the conflict. He also reminded the US of its bitter experiences during the Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan wars. “Remember, Iran is Iran. Iran is not Iraq and Iran is not Afghanistan,” SBY said.
The United States and Iran held the third phase of nuclear negotiations in Geneva, Switzerland, on Thursday, 26 February 2026.
The US demands that Iran dismantle its primary nuclear development facilities and surrender all enriched uranium stockpiles to the US in an agreement that would have no expiration date, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing an official.
The US delegation reportedly pressured Iran to close three main nuclear development facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, and to surrender all enriched uranium stockpiles in their possession, estimated at approximately 10,000 kg, to the US.
These negotiations are considered the final opportunity for diplomacy, as Donald Trump has deployed naval and air forces to the Middle East to pressure Tehran into accepting an agreement.
Trump is ambitious in limiting Iran’s nuclear programme. He sees greater opportunity to pressure Iran following recent domestic protests in the country. However, Iran continues uranium enrichment despite the project suffering setbacks. Trump ordered strikes against three of Iran’s nuclear sites together with Israel in June of last year.