Jakarta. Iran wants Indonesia and other Muslim nations to stop buying Israeli goods in hopes of putting pressure on the Zionist regime, according to its diplomat.

Iran and Israel have entered a deadly conflict after the latter bombarded Tehran last week. The attack drew condemnation from around the globe, including Indonesia. Iran has also launched a barrage of retaliatory drone strikes on Israel. Iranian Ambassador to Indonesia Mohammad Boroujerdi briefed Jakarta-based reporters on Tuesday regarding the latest developments, including Tehran’s expectations for the Southeast Asian country. 

The Jakarta Globe asked the envoy whether Tehran was hoping for Indonesia to impose economic sanctions against Israel.

Indonesia does not have formal diplomatic ties with Israel. However, official statistics showed that both sides had been quietly engaging in commerce, with bilateral trade amounting to $237 million in 2024.

According to Boroujerdi, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) -- of which Indonesia and Iran are part of -- must not stop at declarations, citing that exerting economic pressure might be more effective.

“Islamic countries often talk about things that are out of their control, like calling for an Israel-Palestine ceasefire … or telling Israel not to attack other nations. There is no guarantee that Israel will comply. However, this is different if we have something over them, such as boycotting products from that Zionist regime. This includes blocking their access to energy sources,” Boroujerdi told reporters.

“We can prevent their illegal actions and threaten their existence by boycotting their products as well as [blocking] the commodities that Israel needs,” Boroujerdi said.

Since the Gaza war escalated in October 2023, consumers in the Muslim-majority Indonesia have been boycotting Israeli products. Western brands with links or perceived links to Israel are also subject to such nationwide campaigns. 

The Trade Ministry reported that Indonesia’s imports of Israeli goods had jumped from $21.9 million in 2023 to $54.2 million the following year. However, imports are currently on a decline. Indonesia's oil and non-oil imports from Israel reached $13.2 million in January-April 2025, about $4 million of which were pharmaceutical products. The total imports were less than half of the $29.2 million posted for the same four-month period the previous year. 

Indonesia ran a $71.4 million surplus so far this year as of April, as its exports to Israel surpassed $84 million. Cacao and its processed products made up the lion’s share of its Israel-bound exports, amounting to $11 million.

The same statistics also showed that Israel was the bigger trading partner for Indonesia. The trade between Indonesia and Iran totaled $217.3 million in 2024, marking a $20 million difference compared to Israel. 

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