Jakarta. About 4 days have passed since Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei succumbed to Israeli strikes, but questions have arisen over Indonesia’s silence on his death.

Khamenei, who was in power for over three decades, was assassinated during a US-backed Israeli military campaign against Tehran over the weekend. The country is now in a 40-day mourning period.

To date, President Prabowo Subianto has not expressed condolences, while some world leaders — including Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim — have already done so. 

Indonesia’s Ex-Deputy Foreign Minister Dino Patti Djalal wonders if the radio silence means shifts in Jakarta’s “free and active” foreign policy. This doctrine commits Indonesia to not aligning with any bloc and proactively taking part in world peace. Dino also finds it to be ironic, as Jakarta has pitched to mediate the war.

“Expressions of condolences are customary when the leader of a friendly country to Indonesia dies. Is this forgetfulness or intentional? If intentional, what are we afraid of? Are we sure we are still free and active?” Dino wrote on a social media post X on Wednesday.

This “cold attitude” might have prompted Tehran to “politely reject” Indonesia’s offer to mediate the conflict, according to the former diplomat.

The world’s reactions — or lackthereof — to Khamenei’s death vary. Malaysia’s Anwar, who has been a sharp critic of the war, "unreservedly condemned the killing", but at the same time, urged Iranian authorities to "respond with the utmost restraint". Russian President Vladimir Putin called the act a “murder committed in cynical violation of all norms of human morality and international law”. 

The Foreign Ministry has not responded to the Jakarta Globe's requests for comments on why Indonesia stays quiet. 

The weekend’s strikes have culminated in Iran’s retaliatory strikes on US assets across the Gulf region. Prabowo has offered to mediate between the US and Iran for talks expected to take place in Tehran. Foreign Minister Sugiono recently told the press that he had spoken to both sides on this plan. “It is up to them, but Indonesia seeks to bridge the differences,” Sugiono said.

Iranian Ambassador to Indonesia Mohammad Boroujerdi thanked Prabowo’s offer. However, Tehran is skeptical that Washington can uphold whatever agreement is struck during the negotiations. Boroujerdi said: “Is there a guarantee for the US to abide by what has been agreed on?”

CSIS international relations analyst Pieter Pandie described the mediator proposal as “quite unrealistic at the moment”. 

“The US and Israel want regime change in Iran. Tehran wants to avenge the deaths of Khamenei and other senior officials. How this conflict has now spread to other Arab countries adds further complexities,” Pieter told the Globe.

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