RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia is stepping up protective measures for its citizens in the Middle East as regional security tensions escalate. The government has drawn up anticipatory steps, including large-scale evacuation scenarios, to safeguard Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) should conditions deteriorate further.

Minister of Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Mukhtarudin confirmed that coordination is ongoing with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Indonesian embassies across the region to ensure all actions comply with diplomatic procedures.

“We are coordinating with our embassies and the Foreign Ministry because this involves the authority of other countries. Everything must follow proper procedures in line with our diplomatic relations,” Minister Mukhtarudin said after a meeting with Commission IX of the House of Representatives in Jakarta on Friday, July 17, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

Embassies have already issued advisories urging Indonesians to heighten vigilance, particularly in areas such as Abu Dhabi and surrounding regions. “Announcements have been made by our embassies to remind citizens to stay cautious and prepare for any possibility,” Minister Mukhtarudin noted.

The minister stressed that contingency plans are ready if the situation worsens. “The government has coordinated to prepare anticipatory steps should extraordinary circumstances occur, including large-scale evacuation or emergency handling for Indonesians in the Middle East, especially migrant workers,” he explained.

Tensions in the Middle East have been rising since February, when the United States and Israel launched joint offensives against Iran. Tehran retaliated with missile and drone strikes targeting Gulf states hosting U.S. military assets.

Although Iran and the U.S. signed a memorandum of understanding mediated by Pakistan last month to pursue long-term peace, hostilities have flared again in recent days over disputes in the Strait of Hormuz, sparking renewed clashes.

Indonesia’s proactive stance underscores its commitment to protecting citizens abroad while navigating the complexities of the regional conflict. ***