Jakarta – The Indonesian government has decided to send a high-level delegation to attend the funeral of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, which is scheduled to take place on Thursday (July 9, 2026) in Mashhad, Iran. The delegation will be led by Foreign Minister Sugiono and Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR), Ahmad Muzani.
Foreign Minister Sugiono said the government is still awaiting confirmation from the Iranian authorities regarding the exact time and venue, as the official mourning process for Ali Khamenei is still underway.
“The plan is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia and the Speaker of the MPR to attend,” Sugiono said at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in Jakarta on Monday (July 6, 2026).
Initially, Indonesia planned to send only its Ambassador to Iran. However, following consultations with the Iranian government, Jakarta decided to upgrade its representation by dispatching a ministerial-level delegation as a gesture of respect for the late Iranian leader.
Sugiono explained that the initial decision to send only the ambassador was due to a busy domestic government agenda. In addition, access to the mourning venue in Tehran had been restricted, making it difficult for the Indonesian delegation to attend.
The Iranian government is currently preparing a secure venue to accommodate foreign delegations, as a large number of mourners are expected to attend the funeral. Indonesia remains in close communication with the Iranian authorities to ensure the participation of its delegation in the funeral proceedings.
The government’s initial decision drew criticism from several observers, who questioned why Indonesia had planned to send only its ambassador while many other countries dispatched ministerial-level officials or even heads of state. Critics argued that such a move could have created the impression that Indonesia was not giving sufficient attention to its diplomatic relationship with Iran and raised questions about the consistency of the country’s long-standing free and active foreign policy
