RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it is currently verifying reports on the presence of Iranian oil tankers in Indonesian waters. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Yvonne Mewengkang, in a statement on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, said the government has taken note of reports regarding the activities of foreign vessels.

“Indonesia has taken note of reports concerning the presence of foreign vessels in Indonesian waters,” Yvonne said.

She emphasized that navigation rules in international waters, including those in Indonesia, refer to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which respects various transit regimes in each maritime zone.

“Navigation rules in any waters, including Indonesia, are subject to UNCLOS 1982, which respects all forms of transit regimes in respective maritime zones,” she said.

Yvonne noted that the government is currently conducting field verification and internal coordination across agencies to assess the situation. “The Indonesian government is carrying out field verification and continuing internal coordination, and views that these vessels are exercising their right of passage in accordance with international law,” she said.

Furthermore, the government will continue to monitor developments and communicate through appropriate diplomatic channels. “We will continue to monitor this situation and communicate through the proper diplomatic channels,” she added.

Earlier reports indicated that a massive Iranian oil tanker carrying crude oil worth nearly 220 million US dollars managed to evade a United States naval blockade and entered Indonesian waters. The vessel is reportedly moving through the Lombok Strait toward the Riau Islands. The supertanker has not transmitted its Automatic Identification System (AIS) signal since March 20, when it departed from the Malacca Strait en route to Iran.