Indonesia Suspends Peace Board Talks as Middle East Conflict Escalates

Indonesia's foreign minister announced that negotiations regarding President Trump's Gaza "Board of Peace" have been paused due to escalating warfare involving Iran. The Southeast Asian nation, which was set to contribute significant peacekeeping forces, faces domestic pressure to withdraw from the initiative as regional violence intensifies.

JAKARTA – Indonesia’s top diplomat announced Tuesday that negotiations surrounding President Donald Trump’s Gaza “Board of Peace” initiative have been suspended as warfare escalates across the Middle East region.

Foreign Minister Sugiono told reporters that the ongoing conflict involving Iran has forced all parties to redirect their focus away from the peacekeeping discussions. Indonesia had been positioned as a major contributor to the proposed force.

The current military operations between U.S. and Israeli forces against Iran have resulted in numerous civilian casualties while disrupting global aviation and driving up petroleum costs following the effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

“All BoP discussions are on hold as all attention has shifted to the situation in Iran,” Sugiono stated during a Tuesday evening press conference, responding to questions about growing calls for Indonesia to withdraw from the peace initiative amid the expanding Middle Eastern conflict.

The minister added, “We will also consult with our friends and colleagues in the Gulf because they are also under attack,” speaking after participating in an official function with President Prabowo Subianto.

Indonesia’s involvement in Trump’s peace board has faced significant domestic opposition from religious leaders and policy analysts who argue it undermines the nation’s historical solidarity with Palestinian interests. As the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, Indonesia has long advocated for a two-state resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The Indonesian Ulema Council, a prominent religious authority, declared on March 1st that the country should abandon the peace board entirely, arguing that Trump’s military action against Iran has rendered the whole project meaningless.

Similarly, Nahdlatul Ulama, the country’s most influential Muslim organization, has urged Jakarta to leverage its board position to demand that Israel and the United States cease hostilities.

Trump initially unveiled the peace board concept in September as part of his broader strategy to resolve the Gaza conflict, though he later expanded its scope to address various international disputes typically managed by United Nations frameworks.

Sugiono revealed that President Prabowo has expressed readiness to serve as a mediator in the Iran conflict, seeking “to cool down and de-escalate the situation in the region.”

Indonesia’s military had been preparing approximately 1,000 soldiers for possible Gaza deployment by early April as part of the UN-authorized International Stabilization Force, with Indonesian officials slated to hold deputy command positions within the multinational operation.