Fact Check: Did Indonesia's Human Rights Minister Reject Iran Over Israel?

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A narrative claiming that Indonesian Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai rejected support for Iran and stated that Israel has true sovereignty is circulating on Facebook [archive], Instagram, and TikTok.

The post features a photo of Pigai accompanied by a text claim. The text reads: "According to Pigai: allying with Iran is the same as supporting the devil! Because true sovereignty lies only with Israel."

But did Pigai really make this statement?

FACT CHECK

Tempo verified the circulating narrative using keyword searches on Google, reverse image search, and direct confirmation from relevant parties. The results showed that Natalius Pigai never made the statement.

Pigai emphasized that he never made a statement regarding Israeli sovereignty. He stated that his views regarding the conflict between Israel, the United States, and Iran are entirely in line with the official stance of the Indonesian government, as represented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"Hoax. Indonesia's stance has been officially conveyed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," Pigai said when contacted by Tempo on Tuesday, June 23, 2026.

When the war between Israel, the US, and Iran broke out, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged both parties to immediately cease hostilities. This diplomatic blockade also included calls for a halt to attacks targeting neighboring countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan.

"Indonesia reaffirms the obligation of all parties to uphold the principles of international law, particularly regarding the prohibition of the use of force against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote in an official statement on March 9, 2026.

Image Verification

The photo used in the circulating content was taken by AFP photographer Bay Ismoyo on October 21, 2024, when Pigai attended the inauguration ceremony of ministers in President Prabowo Subianto's Red and White Cabinet at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta. There was no discussion of the Israel-US war or Iran at the event.

CONCLUSION

Based on the results of a fact-checking study, the Tempo Fact-Checking Team concludes that the narrative stating that Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai refused to support Iran because Israel has true sovereignty is false.

TEMPO FACT CHECK TEAM

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