RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia is intensifying diplomatic engagement with Iran and coordinating evacuations of its citizens as tensions in the Middle East disrupt maritime routes through the Strait of Hormuz.

The Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry said the government, through its embassy in Tehran, is maintaining close communication with Iranian authorities to ensure Indonesian vessels can safely pass through the strategic waterway.

“Our ambassador in Tehran continues to communicate with the Iranian government and related authorities regarding this matter. We will continue to push for intensive diplomatic engagement on this specific issue because it is crucial for us,” Foreign Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Yvonne Mewengkang said during a media briefing in Jakarta on Friday, March 13, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz following attacks by the United States and Israel on February 28, a move that has driven up global oil prices.

At the same briefing, another Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson, Nabyl A. Mulachela, said Indonesia hopes peace will prevail following the appointment of Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. “Our hope is that we can focus on efforts to achieve peace as soon as possible,” Nabyl said.

Meanwhile, Indonesian authorities are still searching for three Indonesian nationals who went missing in the Strait of Hormuz after a maritime incident earlier this month.

“For the three Indonesian citizens who are missing in the Strait of Hormuz, the search is still ongoing, and local authorities continue to conduct operations 24 hours a day. They will not stop until authorities declare the search ended,” Acting director for the Protection of Indonesian Citizens at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Heny Hamidah, said.

She added there has been no official statement from local authorities regarding the cause of the explosion aboard the tugboat where the Indonesians worked.

On March 6, the United Arab Emirates-flagged tugboat Musaffah 2 caught fire and sank in the Strait of Hormuz. One Indonesian crew member was hospitalized in Oman, while three others remain missing. Heny said there have been no reports of other Indonesians stranded in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Indonesian government has also evacuated citizens from Iran as security conditions worsen. Thirty-two Indonesians evacuated from Iran arrived in Indonesia on March 10, 2026.

“The embassy will continue to communicate intensively with Indonesians still in Iran to obtain updates on their situation at their respective locations,” she concluded. ***