Indonesia Upgrades Representation at Khamenei Funeral, Foreign Minister to Attend After Diplomatic Criticism

JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — Indonesia will upgrade its diplomatic representation at the state funeral of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by sending Foreign Minister Sugiono and People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Ahmad Muzani to Tehran, following criticism over its initial decision to be represented only by its ambassador.

The delegation is scheduled to attend the funeral ceremony on Thursday, July 9, marking a significant shift after days of debate over Jakarta's handling of one of the Middle East's most closely watched state events.

The level of diplomatic representation at state funerals often carries geopolitical significance, particularly in regions experiencing heightened tensions.

Indonesia's decision to elevate its delegation may help reinforce relations with Iran while addressing domestic criticism that Jakarta had not fully reflected its long-standing "free and active" foreign policy doctrine.

Speaking after accompanying President Prabowo Subianto to welcome Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base on Monday, Sugiono confirmed that Indonesia intends to participate in the funeral with a senior delegation.

"The funeral will take place on Thursday, July 9. We plan to attend. The Indonesian Foreign Minister will travel together with the Speaker of the MPR," Sugiono said.

MPR is Indonesia's highest constitutional body responsible for amending the Constitution and inaugurating the president and vice president.

He added that Jakarta is still coordinating logistical arrangements with Iranian authorities because of the enormous crowds expected to attend the funeral.

Iran is working to determine suitable access points for visiting foreign delegations amid what Indonesian officials described as unprecedented public attendance.

Sugiono explained that Indonesia had accepted Iran's official invitation from the outset but initially appointed Indonesian Ambassador to Iran and Turkmenistan Rolliansyah Soemirat to represent the country because senior government officials were occupied with multiple state visits and official engagements in Jakarta.

"At the same time, we were preparing several state visits in Indonesia, and a number of key officials had commitments that made it impossible for them to travel," he said.

The foreign minister also revealed that Indonesian authorities only received confirmation from Tehran on July 2 that access to parts of the ceremony would be restricted to delegations headed by officials ranked above ambassador.

By then, Sugiono said, Indonesia no longer had sufficient time to reorganize its delegation.

"We received confirmation that Iran would only grant access to officials above ambassadorial rank. We therefore did not have sufficient opportunity to send a replacement," he said.

His remarks came after former Deputy Foreign Minister Dino Patti Djalal criticized the government's initial decision to send only its ambassador to the opening stages of the mourning ceremonies.

Dino argued that Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority nation, should have dispatched a ministerial-level delegation, particularly when numerous countries—including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan, China, Russia, India, Malaysia, and Bangladesh—had sent senior government representatives.

The announcement that Sugiono and Ahmad Muzani will attend Thursday's funeral effectively addresses those concerns while signaling Indonesia's intention to maintain constructive relations with Iran as it continues to navigate an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape under President Prabowo's administration.