Indonesia was all in on the Board of Peace. Then came the Iran War.

Before the conflict erupted, President Prabowo Subianto’s administration had embraced the initiative championed by US President Donald Trump, positioning Jakarta as a key player in efforts to stabilise post-war Gaza. 

Indonesia not only joined the board — a coalition of 28 countries backing a US plan to rebuild the Palestinian enclave — but also pledged to contribute 8,000 troops to the proposed International Stabilisation Force tasked with eventually replacing Israeli forces in the territory.

It was one of the most proactive foreign policy decisions by Jakarta in the Middle East in years, reflecting Prabowo’s push to expand Indonesia’s diplomatic footprint and deepen ties with Washington. 

Indonesian officials argued that joining the board would allow the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation to defend Palestinian interests from within the forum, particularly as Israel was also part of the initiative while Palestinians themselves were not represented.

But this confidence has been shaken by the sudden escalation of war between the U.S., Israel and Iran, which not only disrupted regional stability but also pushed Indonesia to reassess the geopolitical implications of its alignment with a US-led platform.

This shift became evident this week during a rare high-level meeting convened by Prabowo at the State Palace in Jakarta, where the president gathered an unusually broad group of political and economic figures to discuss the crisis.

Among those present were former presidents Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Joko Widodo, former vice presidents Jusuf Kalla, Ma’ruf Amin and Boediono, senior political party leaders and prominent business figures. 

‘Recalculation’

For nearly four hours, these high-level people discussed Indonesia’s strategic posture amid escalating tensions and the potential fallout from disruptions to global energy and food supply chains.

And, of course, they also debated Indonesia’s position within the Board of Peace, particularly whether the Iran war could undermine the credibility and purpose of the U.S.-led initiative.

Former foreign minister Hassan Wirajuda warned Jakarta may need to “recalculate” its role.

“We discussed the board, particularly in light of the latest developments, including whether the war unfolding in Iran could undermine the platform’s position and mandate,” Hassan said.

Foreign Minister Sugiono has already indicated that discussions within the Board of Peace have effectively been suspended as attention shifts to the escalating conflict.

This uncertainty in stance reflects both strategic and domestic pressures Indonesia faces.

Indonesia has more than 519,000 citizens living across the Middle East, according to government data, many working or studying in the region. Ensuring their safety has become a pressing priority as the conflict spreads. 

The government began evacuating Indonesians from Iran on March 6, with dozens of citizens — most of them students in the city of Qom — expected to return home in the coming days.

At the same time, Jakarta faces pressure at home to distance itself from initiatives associated with Washington while the United States is engaged in military action against Iran.

Will Indonesia withdraw from the Board?

Several Indonesian political and religious groups have criticised the Board of Peace, arguing that participation could undermine the country’s longstanding support for Palestinian independence and entangle it in a US-led geopolitical project.

The sensitivities are heightened by Indonesia’s identity as a Muslim-majority nation and its historical sympathy toward countries in the broader Islamic world, including Iran.

Prabowo has attempted to balance those pressures by signalling that Indonesia’s participation in the Board of Peace is conditional. 

During a meeting with Islamic organisations this week, he reportedly assured leaders that Jakarta would withdraw from the forum if it ceased to benefit Palestinian interests or align with Indonesia’s national priorities.

For now, however, the Iran war has injected a new layer of uncertainty into Jakarta’s foreign policy — raising questions not only about the future of the Board of Peace but also about how far Indonesia is willing to align itself with Washington in an increasingly volatile Middle East.