Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – An analyst said Tuesday that the ongoing trade talks with the US should not stop Indonesia from issuing an official statement on Washington's intervention in the Israel-Iran conflict.
The US has joined the war by bombing Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend. The latter retaliated by launching missiles at the US military base in Qatar on Monday local time. About two days have passed since the US air strikes, but neither President Prabowo Subianto nor his chief diplomat Sugiono has yet to make a statement. This marks a stark contrast to Jakarta's swift response when Israel bombed Tehran on June 13, even condemning the attack just hours after the news broke out. Iran and Israel are now reported to have agreed to a ceasefire, but the truce remains fragile.
The heightened conflict came at a time when "good neighbor" Jakarta was still trying to avert US President Donald Trump's upcoming reciprocal tariffs, which would enter into force in about two weeks from now. The Jakarta Globe asked Pieter Pandie, an international relations researcher at the think-tank CSIS, whether the tariff talks were what caused Indonesia to hesitate to react to Washington inserting itself into the war.
"I think the Foreign Affairs Ministry is currently focused on the safety and evacuation of our citizens from the Middle East. However, a statement from Indonesia is needed this time, regardless of our tariff negotiations with the US," Pieter told The Jakarta Globe.
Pieter commented on what sort of role Indonesia should play as the war heated up.
"Indonesia needs to continue to commit to international principles and norms. Military action is now prioritized above international law, and that's why Indonesia's commitment and voice are very much needed," he said.
Chief Security Minister Budi Gunawan recently made a brief comment on the latest developments following US' strikes on Iran. He admitted that Prabowo was prioritizing citizen evacuation, with the first batch of evacuees set to arrive in Jakarta on Tuesday evening. He also said that Indonesia encouraged everyone to "return to the negotiating table for a permanent solution to the conflict".
Amid all the chaos, Indonesia is inching closer to Trump's reciprocal tariff deadline.
Trump has threatened to impose 32 percent tariffs on US-bound Indonesian goods – a policy that he has delayed until July 9. Trump intends to improve Washington's trade imbalance by raising the import tax on Indonesian products. Senior minister Airlangga Hartarto is the chief negotiator, and had flown to Washington DC to talk with Trump's team in April. Airlangga recently claimed that the US Trade Representative (USTR) had already found Indonesia's proposal document to be comprehensive, and the ball was now in Washington's court. He revealed that the government had scrapped plans to send another trade mission to the US for the next round of talks, saying that the proposal was already enough.
Indonesia adopts what it calls the "free and active" foreign policy. Prabowo repeatedly said he wants to make Indonesia a friend to all.
The latest escalations in the Israel-Iran conflict sparked questions surrounding the vacant US envoy post.
Indonesia has not assigned an ambassador to the world's largest economy since July 2023. Investment Minister and sovereign wealth fund Danantara's boss Rosan Roeslani was the last person to assume the role. Dino Patti Djalal, a former senior diplomat who was once Indonesia's US envoy, urged Prabowo to make his decision as soon as possible.
"A kind reminder: in a world that is haunted by wars, conflicts, and dangerous crises, please immediately assign the ambassador to countries such as the US, the UN [New York and Geneva], as well as Germany. All of these seats have remained vacant, making it difficult for Indonesia to conduct effective diplomacy in the front line," Dino posted on the social media platform X on Sunday, not long after the US attacked Iran.
Pieter, too, admitted that the US ambassadorial seat that had remained vacant for long had "left a huge question mark".
"We need someone with diplomatic experience. Someone who can coordinate things quickly as international issues develop," he stated.