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Indonesia offers to mediate Iran-US-Israel conflict as death toll rises to 555

By The South Asia Times

JAKARTA - Indonesia has offered to mediate between Iran and the US-Israeli alliance as the conflict in the Middle East enters its fourth day with the death toll climbing to 555, according to the Iranian Red Crescent.

Foreign Minister Sugiono spoke with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi by telephone on Tuesday, expressing Jakarta's readiness to facilitate dialogue amid escalating hostilities that have already claimed senior Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

"Indonesia stands ready to play a constructive role in advancing peace, including offering our willingness to facilitate dialogue or mediation, with the common objective of preventing further escalation and stopping the unnecessary loss of innocent lives," Sugiono posted on the social media platform X.

The top diplomat urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint and pursue immediate de-escalation, emphasizing that "respect for international law and the UN Charter must be upheld."

"Dialogue and diplomacy are the only viable path to regional stability," Sugiono said.

The conflict, which began with joint US-Israeli strikes on Iranian targets Saturday, has triggered retaliatory Iranian drone and missile attacks on US-linked sites across Gulf countries. Eight US service members have been killed and several others seriously wounded in the escalating violence.

Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation, maintains diplomatic relations with the US and Iran and has positioned itself as a potential bridge in one of the region's most dangerous crises in decades.