RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Sugiono and his Indian counterpart, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, held a telephone discussion on Thursday, March 12, 2026, focusing on both the escalating conflict in the Middle East and efforts to deepen bilateral relations.

In a statement shared on his official X account, Jaishankar said the two ministers exchanged views on developments in West Asia, while also agreeing to convene a bilateral Joint Commission meeting in the near future. “I was pleased to speak with Foreign Minister Sugiono of Indonesia,” Jaishankar noted, as quoted by Antara.

The dialogue came against the backdrop of heightened tensions in the Gulf, following joint U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28. The attacks caused significant damage and casualties, including the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran responded with retaliatory strikes on Israeli territory and U.S. military bases across the Gulf, further destabilizing the region, particularly the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping lane.

Indonesia has voiced readiness to facilitate negotiations between the warring parties, urging restraint and calling on the United States and Israel to halt attacks on Iran, while pressing Iran to cease retaliatory strikes.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian government has evacuated 32 of its citizens from Iran via Azerbaijan. The evacuees arrived in Jakarta in two waves on March 10 and 11, underscoring the conflict’s direct impact on Indonesians abroad. ***