Iran Assures Safety of Indonesians During Nationwide Protests

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Iran has assured the safety of foreign nationals, including Indonesian citizens, amid weeks of large-scale protests that swept across the country, Iran’s Ambassador to Indonesia Mohammad Boroujerdi said on Thursday, January 22, 2026.

“We remain in close communication and coordination with the Indonesian Embassy in Tehran and stand ready to continue monitoring the safety of Indonesian nationals,” Ambassador Boroujerdi said, as quoted by Antara.

He stressed that during the period of widespread demonstrations, the Iranian government prioritized the protection of civilians and closely monitored the security situation for foreign nationals residing in Iran.

According to Boroujerdi, Tehran has also conveyed to the Indonesian Embassy its readiness to assist Indonesian citizens wherever they are located in Iran to ensure their safety.

In a statement issued on January 12, the Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed that Indonesian citizens in various parts of Iran, particularly in Qom and Isfahan, had not reported any significant security disturbances during the protests. Most Indonesians in Iran are students pursuing religious and higher education.

The Indonesian Embassy in Tehran has assessed that evacuation is not necessary currently, although contingency preparations remain in place should the situation escalate. Indonesian nationals have been advised to remain vigilant, follow official information sources, avoid protest sites and large crowds, and maintain communication with the embassy.

Large-scale protests erupted in dozens of Iranian cities in late December and subsided in mid-January. According to official figures released by the Iranian government, the unrest resulted in 3,117 fatalities, including 2,427 civilians and members of the security forces.

Iranian authorities said the protests were initially triggered by economic hardship and the sharp depreciation of the Iranian rial. However, officials claimed the demonstrations later escalated into violent unrest after being “hijacked” by foreign elements allegedly linked to Israeli and United States intelligence agencies.

Ambassador Boroujerdi said the demonstrations held from December 28 to 31, 2025, were initially peaceful and driven by legitimate public grievances. During that phase, he said, the government listened to protesters’ demands and was prepared to take follow-up measures.

“However, during the second phase in early January, we observed certain parties attempting to hijack the peaceful demonstrations,” he added.

According to Boroujerdi, Iranian authorities identified protesters who were “acting under instructions from abroad” to incite chaos and attack security forces. He said the situation escalated into violent riots between January 1 and 7, 2026.

“We intercepted communications from outside the country that proved there were instructions given to certain individuals to take to the streets and attack security personnel,” he explained.

Boroujerdi accused the United States and Israel of orchestrating the alleged hijacking of the protests, citing public statements by US officials expressing support for regime change in Iran. He also pointed to remarks by another US official who openly voiced support for Israeli intelligence agents operating within Iranian society.

He further claimed that Washington and Tel Aviv sought to exploit the high death toll from the unrest to justify potential actions against Iran under the pretext of human rights protection.

According to Boroujerdi, these efforts were ultimately thwarted through the work of Iranian security forces and public resistance to foreign intervention. ***