TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Iran's Ambassador to Indonesia, Mohammad Boroujerdi, stated that the Iranian government appreciates Indonesia's decision to join the Peace Council in Gaza, also known as the Board of Peace (BoP), initiated by United States President Donald Trump. According to Boroujerdi, every country has different national interests and political positions in dealing with the Palestinian issue.
"We respect the various decisions made by the Indonesian government, related to its national interests and the path chosen by Indonesia," said Boroujerdi, after a press conference at his residence in Menteng, Central Jakarta, on Thursday, January 22, 2026.
Boroujerdi emphasized that whatever foreign policy Indonesia pursues, including cooperation with third parties on the Palestinian issue, will not affect the long-standing bilateral relations between Iran and Indonesia. "We will respect whatever decision Indonesia makes," he said.
Iran's Perspective on the Gaza 'Board of Peace'
Despite respecting the decisions of the participating countries, Iran believes that the approach of the Gaza Board of Peace does not address the root of the Palestinian conflict. Boroujerdi stated that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories must be stopped first before any peace initiatives can be undertaken.
"We believe that no matter how much peaceful solutions are discussed, as long as the occupation continues, those efforts will not yield results," said Boroujerdi. He elaborated that the first step to be taken is to end the occupation of Palestinian territories.
He views continuing the peace process without ending the occupation as a flawed approach. According to him, it is similar to someone occupying part of another person's house and then inviting the house owner to negotiate."
Joint Decision by 8 Countries
Indonesia officially joined the Gaza Board of Peace along with seven Arab and majority-Muslim countries. The decision was announced through a joint statement by the foreign ministers of the eight countries on Thursday, January 22.
The joint statement was signed by the Foreign Minister of Indonesia, as well as the foreign ministers of Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The document was simultaneously released through the official social media accounts of their respective foreign ministries.
"The Foreign Ministers of the Republic of Turkey, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Republic of Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the State of Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates welcome the invitation extended by United States President Donald J. Trump to their leaders to join the Peace Council," said the statement.
In the statement, the ministers also declared that each country would sign the participation document according to its respective national legal and procedural requirements.
Earlier, Trump sent letters inviting more than 60 countries to participate in monitoring the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), formed last week. The Gaza Board of Peace is tasked with supporting the administration, reconstruction, and economic recovery of Gaza based on Trump's 20-point peace plan.
In addition to Indonesia and the seven Arab-Muslim countries, several other countries that have declared their participation include Israel, Vietnam, Hungary, Argentina, Morocco, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan.
Read: Prabowo Explains Joining Trump's Gaza Board of Peace
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