The conflict in the Middle East after the United States (US) and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, 2026, is still hot. It is not known when the war will end. However, the International Relations expert at the State University of Jakarta (UIN) Dr. Teguh Santosa remains optimistic that there will be peace.
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The US ambition to subdue Iran is still not extinguished. Although with all its might Iran survived and attacked back when Donald Trump ordered troops to attack. Including in the mourning period, during the funeral of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Mojtabah Khamenei, the son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who continued the leadership baton, chose not to compromise in dealing with Donald Trump. When the United States attacked because it considered Iran to be interfering with shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran retaliated by attacking a number of US military facilities in the Gulf countries. "Like a football player, the score is 1-1, the attack is countered by an attack," he said.
According to Teguh Santosa, peace is actually a pause between one war and the next war. "And peace can be long or short depending on whether the forces that are fighting have equal power or not. If the power is balanced, God willing, it will be long and peaceful. But if the power is not balanced, it seems that the powerful will befall the powerless," he said.
Even though a peaceful path is still difficult to find. There is still optimism to get there. "The point is that we remain optimistic about the peace in the Middle East. And Indonesia can be one of the key players," Teguh Santosa told Edy Suherli and Bambang ErosdanMoch Prayoga Adi Pradana from VOI who met him at Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, July 10, 2026.
The world was shocked by the United States' attack on Iran when Iran was in mourning and preparing to bury their Supreme Leader, the late Ali Khamenei. How do you see the urgency and momentum of this attack?
One of the important points of the temporary ceasefire agreed by Iran and the United States for 60 days is that Iran does not levy taxes or obstruct shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. Well, but because some time before it was seen that there was an attempt by Iran to disrupt the smooth sailing there, the US considered it a violation of the MoU. That's why then the attack was launched on Bandar Abbas. And as usual, Iran then considered that they finally had the right to retaliate against several US military bases in the Gulf countries. That is the cause of mutual attacks.
But Donald Trump said it when he was in the UK for a NATO high-level conference. On the way back to Washington DC on the plane, he told reporters that there had been recent communications between Iran and the US. If from his face, but Trump is also a character player. Only if from his face then he said he didn't know whether the incident would make this war open and full-scale again or not. However, he did not say so, he also regretted it.
Before the conflict through the Strait of Hormuz heated up, now the question is why is it so strange like this?
There is indeed a rather strange issue from the perspective of international law in the waters of Hormuz. According to the 1982 UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea), the Strait of Hormuz is an international sea. So what applies there is what is called a transit passage or an area that can be passed by military ships, merchant ships, and any civilian ships. What applies there is 12 nautical miles from the coastline as Iranian territory. But beyond 12 nautical miles, it is an international sea.
Meanwhile, Iran has not ratified UNCLOS 1982. Iran holds on to the 1958 UNCLOS text which does not regulate the sea territory or the exclusive economic zone. So for Iran, this is its territory. And indeed Iran has always seen that in this narrow area there are many US military bases. So they feel no need to ratify UNCLOS 1982. Before the US and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28, Iran did not close the Strait of Hormuz. But their conception of the Strait of Hormuz is as I said earlier.
The US is also not a country that has ratified UNCLOS 1982. The US adheres to what they call FONOPS (Freedom of Navigation Operations). So in the context of FONOPS, they do not accept obstacles to traffic in international waters. Sometimes the US also tests our maritime territorial waters. Our Nusantara Sea is also one of the points regulated in UNCLOS 1982.
For example?
"Because the Nusantara Sea is our territory, but we are also not greedy. We provide access to international ship transits and international military flights through what we call the Indonesian Islands Sea Route. In the context of the Indonesian Islands Sea Route or ALKI 1, 2, and 3, the Java Sea, for example, is not an international sea. So if there are US ships, both civilian and military, to pass through, just choose through ALKI 1, ALKI 2, or ALKI 3. Several times the US tried to test this. In 2003, for example, involving our Air Force F-16s who had to fly to intercept the US F-18. That's a very exciting story in the north of Bawean Island, East Java. So because of this FONOPS, they don't want to recognize the restrictions that they think are in the international sea.
Well, back to the Strait of Hormuz. So this is the dilemma we face. For Iran, the Strait of Hormuz is their territorial sea. This is what then gives Iran a reason to tighten and continue to do so after the 60-day MoU. While for the US, it is considered a violation.
Previously, Donald Trump had said he would give Iran a week to mourn, but the reality was that he was also attacked?
Yes, because that was just. The US considers Iran to have violated an important point in the 60-day interim peace MoU. That's why. Then it was retaliated, if in football terms the score was tied. Donald Trump said he didn't know whether after this there would be an open war like before or not. Many countries then asked both sides to refrain. The path to peace is not easy.
And peace itself in the study of conflict has two types. The first is called negative peace, which is a state when there is no violence, such as a ceasefire or a ceasefire. People want to move towards the second, namely positive peace. If positive peace is a normal relationship like two best friends, it is more structural. To achieve positive peace is not easy. First of all, of course, it must pass through negative peace. And now it is heading towards positive peace.
Now Iran is still in mourning and undergoing a funeral procession. How do you see Iran optimizing this momentum for its geopolitical interests?
Iran showed millions of people who attended the funeral. It was an expression of such great support for the Iranian Islamic Revolution. Because what was buried was the supreme leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran. So this is what Iran showed to the international community. If, for example, in January there was an attempt by the US and Israel to influence public opinion in Iran so that they overthrow the government, now it is shown that these are the supporters they will face if they want to do this.
The presence of delegations from various countries is also used to show the fairly broad support from other countries. For example, there is Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia, which has been considered as a friend of the US, for example, they are present. Although in fact since 2023 there have been quite intense talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran mediated by China. The good relationship has begun to be seen between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Pakistan and Turkey are also present. Then there is also Hamas, Houthi, and Hezbollah.
Interestingly, when the Arab and Turkish delegations were present, different verses were read. How do you see it?
Iran took advantage of this momentum to convey a diplomatic message through the verses of the Holy Qur'an. For Saudi Arabia, verses about the Battle of Badr were read because Saudi Arabia was considered to be on the same side. For Turkey, for example, regarding its silence. Then for friends like China and Russia, verses that talk about martyrdom and eternal life were read. Perhaps it can be interpreted like that. It's okay for Iran to do that.
However, each country must have its own calculations and interests. And each country must not exchange its national interests with the national interests of other countries.
At the funeral of Ali Khamenei, Indonesia was initially represented by the Ambassador. Then there was criticism of the government, then the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Chairman of the MPR, and the entourage were sent. How do you see this change?
I was also sent an invitation by the Iranian Embassy in Jakarta to attend the funeral in Iran. The funeral procession was not short, but it lasted a long time, culminating in the funeral in Mashhad on July 9, 2026. I couldn't go there because there were other events that had been scheduled for a long time.
If we talk about Indonesia, at the same time we also received many state guests. The President of Belarus came to visit, as did the Prime Minister of Singapore, the Prime Minister of India, and Tony Blair. These are days that are intertwined with the long funeral procession. So at first the Indonesian Ambassador in Iran was assigned. Next came the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Chairman of the MPR, as well as representatives from NU and Muhammadiyah at the funeral on July 9, 2026. So why is this a problem? Criticism is okay, but please also pay attention to the whole series of events.
If compared, Indonesia and Malaysia in the matter of Iran, Malaysia is more pro, while Indonesia is relatively neutral. How do you see this?
If we want to talk about Iran and Malaysia, then link it to Malaysia's relations with other countries, in this case the United States, Anwar Ibrahim and Mahathir Mohamad in 1997 had different views. Mahathir was anti-IMF, while Anwar Ibrahim, who was then his deputy, was pro-IMF. So my point is, don't oversimplify the issue.
Iran, for example, is considered more friendly with Malaysia. Still for Malaysia, whatever they do, the main consideration is their national interest. So we also shouldn't assume that Malaysia's national interest must be the same as Indonesia's national interest. That's just as wrong. So it's okay if they have different considerations.
For example, regarding Venezuela. When Maduro was arrested on January 3, Anwar Ibrahim immediately protested. Then the Indonesian public considered that Anwar Ibrahim's attitude was the right attitude. So when the Indonesian government did not protest in the same way as Anwar Ibrahim, the government was considered wrong.
So the relationship between Malaysia and Venezuela before Maduro fell was good?
Relations between Venezuela and Malaysia in the last days or months of the Maduro government are indeed good, especially for oil affairs. Well, suddenly Maduro was arrested. So finally there were protests from the Malaysian government with such sentences.
Meanwhile, Indonesia's attitude is regrettable and regrettable. That is the business between the United States and Venezuela. Let them solve it themselves.
"We have to see it from a helicopter view. When Prabowo's attitude must be compared with the attitude of other countries? In my opinion, it is not appropriate. We depend on the United States, that's wrong. We depend on China, that's also wrong. We have to depend on our own country.
"This is the era that I often call inclusive security. That the fate of each country is determined by the country itself. We must not rely on the international system. I see President Prabowo and his team are trying to make changes that are paradigmical. Perhaps this creates an uncomfortable situation, both for some groups who have been comfortable in the country and for some neighboring countries or our friends who have been comfortable with our attitude.
What is the future prediction for peace in the Middle East?
For the US, maybe they are buying time. They hope that peace with Iran can only happen when there is a change in the regime's view of the United States and the international community.
For Iran, perhaps there must also be a change in the way the regime in the US and Israel view Iran. Only then can peace happen. But if their point of view towards each other does not change, then there will be no attempt to improve relations.
Is it possible that in the future the US and Iran will be friends?
Before the Iranian Islamic Revolution in 1979, the two countries were friendly. Or we see Venezuela with the United States. Before Hugo Chavez's revolution through elections in 1999, the relationship was also good. We see Cuba. Before the revolution of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara, the relationship between Cuba and the United States was also good. There are many things that can make the relationship between one country and another country good or bad. There is always a possibility for peace.
Actually, Ali Khamenei has already fatwanned the prohibition of nuclear weapons in Iran. The fatwa has been delivered many times by Ali Khamenei.
Why are nuclear weapons banned?
Because nuclear weapons are contrary to the principle of war in Islam. War in Islam is possible in the context of defense or retaliation. And secondly, the target must be discriminatory. The parties that can be attacked in war according to Islam are combatants. Plants should not be attacked, animals should not be attacked. While nuclear weapons, once exploded, are not discriminatory. Everything will be destroyed. That is why nuclear weapons are considered contrary to the principle of war in Islam and then banned.
Peace is the period between two wars. And that peace can be long or short depending on whether the forces that are at war have equal power or not. If the power is balanced, God willing, it will be long. But if the power is not balanced, it seems that the powerful will befall the powerless.
The point is, we remain optimistic about peace in the Middle East. And Indonesia can be one of the key players.
Teguh Santosa, Learning from Iran's Resilience in Facing DifficultiesTeguh Santosa has visited Iran several times. From the visit, he concluded that Iran is a tough nation. Even though they are under economic pressure from Western countries, they are able to survive.
"The first time I visited Iran was in November 2011. At that time, the moment was an international press exhibition in Tehran. And I was very impressed because the media flourished there. That year, many media booths, many book booths," said Teguh while adding that the press in Iran is very open.
The Iranian government, continued Teguh, pays great attention to the development of science and technology.
"The technology they use for cameras and all sorts of things is great. In 2011 I had not seen a camera like that used in Indonesia, while they already had it first. Great Iran, even though they were already under world sanctions," said Teguh, who at that time opened an exhibition booth from the media where he worked, Rakyat Merdeka.
At that moment, the late Margiono was also present who was then serving as the Chairman of PWI.
"Because Mr. Margiono will give a speech, he asked me to prepare his speech," he recalled.
After the exhibition, he and his entourage continued their visit to Qom City.
"In the city of Qom we were invited to Imam Khomeini's place. The house when he was a child. And to other holy places," he said.
Interestingly, continued Teguh, he also met a polyglot (a person who masters many languages).
"At that time he mastered 19 foreign languages, his name was Ali Pirhani. He was surprised when he found out that Indonesian was very similar to Malaysian. I explained that to him. I also told him that he had to go to Indonesia so that more languages could be mastered," he continued.
Despite being sanctioned, Iranian technology is not inferior to the technology of Western countries.
"During the visit, we were also taken to Iran's technology centers. Including animal cloning technology. If in the West there is a cloned sheep named Dolly, they also know advanced cloning and stem cell technology. So this Iranian technology is very advanced," he said.
Fashionable Iranian WomenThe next visit was made by Teguh in March 2023. "I made a visit to Tehran, Qom, and Isfahan. It happened shortly after the outbreak of large demonstrations in a number of cities in Iran," he said.
The large demonstration, he continued, was triggered by a woman who was said to have been beaten by the police for not wearing a headscarf.
"At that time I saw many women who no longer wore hijabs or headscarves. However, most of them still wear hijabs," he said.
The Iranian government, said Teguh, has its own explanation regarding their actions to quell the demonstration. However, civil society groups also have different explanations. Likewise, Western countries that take advantage of the situation have their own narratives.
"Because each party has interests. So it's hard to conclude who is right in this matter," he continued.
Regarding fashion, Teguh remembered his first visit to Iran.
"At that time I did a small experiment. I visited a traditional market in Tehran. Even though Iranian women wear hijab, they are still fashionable. It can be seen from the shoes they wear, very fashionable. So they are not left behind even though most of them wear hijab," he said.
The Beauty of SanctionIsfahan is one of the most beautiful cities in Iran. There is even a saying that half the world is in Isfahan. "The city of Isfahan is indeed beautiful," he said.
In addition, Isfahan is also a mixed city. "In Isfahan there is an Armenian community. They, as the name implies, come from Armenia," he said.
Despite being sanctioned by the West, life in the cities he visited in Iran seemed normal. Regarding these sanctions, there is an interesting thing that was revealed by the Iranian Ambassador in 2016.
"At dinner at the North Korean Embassy, those present included the North Korean Ambassador as host, Russian Ambassador Ludmila Vorobieva, Iranian Ambassador Mahmoudi, Mrs. Rachmawati Soekarnoputri, and myself," he said.
At that time, continued Teguh, the Iranian Ambassador revealed the term the beauty of sanction.
"So by getting sanctions, Iranians are forced to be independent and creative. And what is visible now, they can survive and face the US onslaught. This is a lesson to be learned from Iran. Even though they are sanctioned, they can still survive. There is wisdom behind the sanctions that exist. That's where the term the beauty of sanction comes from," said Teguh Santosa.
"This is a lesson that can be learned from Iran. Even though they are sanctioned, they can still survive. There is wisdom behind the sanctions that exist. That's why the term the beauty of sanction emerged,"
Teguh Santosa
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