UNREALISTIC, JUST A GIMMICK?
Akbar said that Southeast Asia’s largest economy has a “track record” of offering to mediate global conflicts.
He highlighted that during a trip to Moscow in 2022, then-president Joko Widodo proposed taking on a mediator role in the Russia–Ukraine war, conveying the offer to President Vladimir Putin. The move ultimately did not lead to any official mediation mandate.
“Prabowo’s current offer, in my view, is a continuation of Indonesia’s long-standing diplomatic tradition,” Akbar said.
But Dino argued that the US rarely agrees to third-party mediation in its conflicts, which in his view makes the proposal unrealistic.
“The US’ ego as a superpower is too great to accept that,” Dino said.
The US strike on Iran took place amid negotiations between the two countries over Tehran’s nuclear programme, with Oman acting as mediator. On Sunday, the Iranian government announced that Khamenei had been killed in his office, along with his daughter, granddaughter and several senior Iranian officials.
The episode underscored that even with Omani-facilitated talks underway, the US strike could not have been prevented.
“I also believe President Trump would not want Indonesia to get involved at this point, as he appears determined to bring down the Iranian government,” Dino said.
Another reason Prabowo’s mediation offer may be brushed aside, Dino added, is the lack of close ties between Jakarta and Tehran.
Since taking office in October 2024, Prabowo has made more than 40 state visits to 20 countries. But Dino noted that Iran did not feature in any of these overseas visits.
“In other words, there is no established closeness or trust from the current Iranian government towards Indonesia’s government,” he said.
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