We therefore urge President Prabowo to speak up, even if through diplomatic wording such as "concern" or "regret", to avoid direct criticism of Trump.

As of Wednesday, three days after the US airstrikes, neither President Prabowo nor Foreign Minister Sugiono had issued an official statement on behalf of Indonesia. This contrasts with at least three of the 10 ASEAN member states, which have already voiced their opposition to President Trump’s unilateral action.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Budi Gunawan is the only Indonesian official who has responded to Sunday’s bombing. In a written statement, Budi called for "all sides to return to the negotiating table and pursue a permanent resolution." He also emphasized protecting Indonesian citizens in troubled Middle Eastern countries like Iran and Israel, leaving open the question of whether this is a genuine reason or a pretext for silence.

Iran has launched a retaliatory strike on the US military base in Qatar and reached a ceasefire agreement with Israel, ending temporarily their 12-day war. But the world will not forget Indonesia’s silence.

This quiet is particularly striking given Indonesia's swift condemnation of Israel's bombing of Tehran on June 13, when the Foreign Ministry strongly criticized the "unlawful act" on social media. Furthermore, Prabowo's stance differs from his predecessor Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, who promptly condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, although without naming Russia, while tweeting to "Stop the war" and joining international condemnation at the UN General Assembly.

Diplomatically, the government's silence might be interpreted as an intentional avoidance of public statements on a domestically sensitive issue. However, such hesitation could undermine Indonesia's credibility as a middle-power player, leading many Indonesians to conclude that the government fears confronting President Trump.

Given Indonesia's long-standing "free and active" foreign policy, which emphasizes independence and an active contribution to global peace without aligning with major powers, its silence on Trump's direct intervention in Iran's sovereign affairs has raised many eyebrows.

The silence has fueled speculation, including concern about potential retaliation from the unpredictable US president. There is also suspicion that ongoing trade talks with the US might be influencing Indonesia's muted response to the US intervention in the Israel-Iran conflict.

Under Trump’s trade war policy, Indonesia previously faced a 32 percent tariff on its goods exported to the US, in retaliation for Indonesia's supposed 64 percent tariff on US goods. Finance Minister Sri Mulyani noted that the US had a US$19.3 billion trade deficit with Indonesia in 2024, making Indonesia the 15^th largest contributor to the US trade deficit that year.

Despite the House of Representatives' plans to summon Foreign Minister Sugiono for discussions and its support for the government’s cautious position, such actions are unlikely to impact Indonesia’s international credibility. In contrast, other ASEAN members like Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand have already expressed their views. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim voiced concern, Vietnam's Foreign Affairs Ministry expressed deep concern over the escalating conflict and Thailand called for an immediate cessation of violence and a peaceful resolution.

This silence also significantly undermines President Prabowo’s broader campaign for global peace and a rules-based world order. While Prabowo may refrain from condemning the US’ unilateral military action, we believe a muted Indonesia risks appearing inconsistent in its foreign policy principles. This could diminish its moral authority and effectiveness as a voice for stability and adherence to international norms on the global stage, potentially hindering its ability to mediate future conflicts or champion multilateral solutions.

Therefore, we reiterate our call for President Prabowo to voice Indonesia’s official position on President Trump’s military strikes against Iran, before it is too late. This is crucial for safeguarding his government’s credibility in global diplomacy.