JAKARTA — Indonesia should leverage its membership in the Board of Peace (BoP) to foster peace between the United States and Iran, according to a leading Indonesian religious leader. The call for proactive engagement comes as global tensions remain high and diplomatic efforts to de-escalate conflicts are increasingly critical.
Yahya Cholil Staquf, Chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU), urged President Prabowo Subianto to utilize the organization as a platform for peace initiatives. “We need to find ways to utilize the BoP for these peace efforts. Let’s use whatever is already in our hands,” Staquf said Thursday, March 5, 2026, at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta.
Staquf emphasized the importance of taking even slight steps toward peace, comparing the effort to digging a hole with a spoon if a shovel isn’t available. “If we need to dig a hole but don’t have a shovel, we’ll dig with a spoon. Something like that,” he explained. “We shouldn’t discard something that could be useful just because it seems weak. We must use everything we have because the pursuit of peace is paramount.”
The PBNU leader stated that Indonesia has no alternative but to strive to help achieve world peace and end warfare. “Stop the war, stop, peace now. There is no other alternative. Because if we don’t, no one will be safe. No one will be safe. We must stop this violence immediately in any way possible,” he said.
Staquf also expressed appreciation for Indonesia’s expression of condolences following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The condolences were conveyed in a letter from Foreign Minister Sugiono to the Iranian Embassy in Jakarta.
“I think it’s appropriate to offer condolences when someone passes away. But PBNU also extends its condolences, of course. Beyond that, we must make every effort to stop the violence and achieve peace,” Staquf added.
Regarding Condolences for Khamenei’s Passing
Indonesia’s expression of sympathy underscores the country’s commitment to diplomatic engagement even in times of heightened geopolitical tension.
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