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![]() Indonesia | ![]() Iran |
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Diplomatic mission | |
Indonesian Embassy, Tehran | Iranian Embassy, Jakarta |
Indonesia and Iran established diplomatic relations in 1950. Indonesia has an embassy in Tehran, and Iran has an embassy in Jakarta. Both countries are full members of the World Trade Organization (WTO), The Non-Aligned Movement, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), BRICS and Developing 8 Countries.
Relations between Indonesia and Iran are particularly important because both nations, as Muslim majority countries, are responsible for representing the Islamic world globally. [1] Indonesia has the largest Sunni population in the world, while Iran is one of the few Shiite majority nations in the world. Relations between the two countries can also represent the harmonization and reconciliation between Sunnis and Shiites. [2]
Numerous Arabic sources noted the existence of a people called Sayabiga, which are already settled on the shores of the Persian Gulf before the rise of Islam. This tribe or group appears to have been derived from a colony of Sumatran or Javanese people, originally settled in Sind, but who were eventually made prisoners during a Persian invasion and forcibly enrolled in the Persian military forces. Sayabiga were mercenaries of high soldierly qualities, disciplined, used to the sea, faithful servants; and in consequence, they were considered eminently suitable to serve as guards and soldiers, gaolers, and wardens of the treasury. In the reign of Caliph Abu Bakr (632–634) they formed a garrison at At-Khatt, in Al-Bahrain, and in 656 they are recorded as having been entrusted with the guarding of the treasury at Al-Basra. [3] Ferrand (1926) shows that the name Sayabiga is derived directly from Sabag, which is a variation of Zabag. [4] : 316
Persian traders have been active in Indonesia since the Srivijaya period in 8th centuries. It can be assumed that the contact between traders, mostly from Persia and the people of the Indonesia archipelago since the 7th century, resulted in a process of mutual influence in terms of the economic, social, cultural, religious, and especially language aspects between two society.
There is also an inscription of Persian poetry on the tomb of Fatimah bint Maimun in the village of Leran which dates from the 11th century during the era of Sultan Malik Saleh, the first Muslim ruler of Sumatra. [5]
In the 13th century many clerics from Persia who visited the kingdoms in the Indonesian archipelago brought Persian Islamic traditions and culture to Indonesia. One example is the art of calligraphy carved on Islamic tombstones in the Indonesia archipelago. There is also the Tabut (Tabot) culture in Bengkulu and Tabuik in West Sumatra which is similar to the Persian Ashura celebrations. [6]
During the 16th and 17th centuries, Persians operated in the Aceh Sultanate. The Spanish exploler Melchor Davalos reported on the presence of Persians in Borneo and elsewhere in the late 1500s. [7]
During Pahlavi Iran, the Iranian envoy was present and participated in the 1955 Asia Africa Conference. President Suharto was the first Indonesian President to visit Iran and attend the 2,500-year celebration of the Persian Empire. [8] The Shah of Iran became the first Iranian head of state to visit Indonesia on 1 October 1974. [9] [10]
In 2015, the trade value between Iran and Indonesia was only US$300 million, down from the trade value in 2011 which was US$1.8 billion. Therefore, the two heads of state agreed to take steps to increase trade figures. [11]
The governments of the two countries also see promising potential in cooperation in the energy sector. In 2016, Pertamina and the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) have cooperated in supplying LPG amounting to 88,000 tons and the amount will continue to increase next years. This cooperation can be expanded to other sectors such as crude oil, refineries, petrochemical products and others in the future. [12]
According to a 2013 BBC World Service Poll, Indonesians' perception of Iran is overwhelmingly positive, with 98% of Indonesians expressing a positive view. It is among the most favourable perception of Iran in Asia, and second-most favourable in the world. [13]
During the 2019-2021 Persian Gulf crisis, Indonesia had seized Iranian and Panamanian tanker in Borneo. The two ships had suspected of illegally transferring oil in the waters. [14]
According to the official report of the Ministry of Research and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, in the field of science and technology cooperation, Indonesia and Iran have signed an MoU in 2006 and formed a Joint Science and Technology Committee since 2008. In October 2017 the two met and produced several activity plans, namely: [15]
In a cultural meeting called "Traces of the Persians in Southeast Asia" held at the Faculty of Languages and Cultures, University of Indonesia (UI), topics such as similarities in Iranian and Indonesian languages and cultures were explored. Attended by Iran's cultural attaché in Indonesia, Hojatollah Ebrahimian, and Dean of the Faculty of Languages and Cultural Sciences Adrianus Lavranous, the meeting also aimed to increase cultural ties and understanding between the two Muslim countries. [16]
Linguistic
Iran and Indonesia share a linguistic heritage, in fact the language spoken in Indonesia language has 350 Persian words as part of its lexicon. For example, the word Anggur in Indonesian comes from the Persian word انگور (angur) which means grapes. The word Kismis in Indonesian comes from the Persian word کشمش (kešmeš) which means raisins. The word Syahbandar in Indonesian means port ruler. Consisting of the word Bandar in Indonesian comes from the Persian word بندر (bandar) with the same meaning. And the word shah comes from the word شاه (šâh) which means King. [17]
Starting 2023, ambassadors Sumuntyan (Iran) and Korig (Indonesia) have made talks via. official BTRSM communications hub channels. Diplomacy is reportedly smooth sailing, though nothing concrete has been set in motion by way of these talks. Purportedly, such talks center around potential joint academic projects, most notably on the refinement of literature in a hypothetical "Joint Modern Foreign Literature Committee (JMFLC)". Relevant experts on the subject have placed a rough timeline on the completion and implementation of such a committee in the coming decade (2020-2029).
According to one source from Iran, this easy diplomacy may be tenuous, due to loosely referenced incidents pertaining Rounds discourse. However, experts have disputed whether this claim is real or falsified - there is little, shaky evidence that such an incident has occurred, and the reporting on such an event is not widespread. If falsified, this could be considered as an apotheosis and one of the few, concrete examples of post-modern propaganda.
Geography is an important factor in informing Iran's foreign policy. Following the 1979 Iranian Revolution, the newly formed Islamic Republic, under the leadership of Ayatollah Khomeini, dramatically reversed the pro-American foreign policy of the last Shah of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Since the country's policies then oscillated between the two opposing tendencies of revolutionary ardour to eliminate non-Muslim Western influences while promoting the Islamic revolution abroad, and pragmatism, which would advance economic development and normalization of relations, bilateral dealings can be confused and contradictory.
Nusantara is the Indonesian name for the region spanning the Indonesian Archipelago and the Malay Peninsula. It is an Old Javanese term that literally means "outer islands". In Indonesia, it is generally taken to mean the Indonesian Archipelago. Outside of Indonesia, the term has been adopted to refer to the Malay Archipelago.
Greater Iran or Greater Persia, also called the Iranosphere or the Persosphere, is an expression that denotes a wide socio-cultural region comprising parts of West Asia, the Caucasus, Central Asia, South Asia, and East Asia —all of which have been affected, to some degree, by the Iranian peoples and the Iranian languages.
French–Iranian relations are the international relations between France and Iran. Iran has generally enjoyed a friendly relationship with France since the Middle Ages. The travels of Jean-Baptiste Tavernier are particularly well known to Safavid Persia. France has an embassy in Tehran and Iran has an embassy in Paris.
The dynamic between the League of Arab States and the Islamic Republic of Iran has been ambivalent, owing to the latter's varying bilateral conduct with each country of the former. Iran is located on the easternmost frontier of the Arab League, which consists of 22 Arab countries and spans the bulk of the Middle East and North Africa, of which Iran is also a part. The Arab League's population is dominated by ethnic Arabs, whereas Iran's population is dominated by ethnic Persians; and while both sides have Islam as a common religion, their sects differ, with Sunnis constituting the majority in the Arab League and Shias constituting the majority in Iran. Since Iran's Islamic Revolution in 1979, the country's Shia theocracy has attempted to assert itself as the legitimate religious and political leadership of all Muslims, contesting a status that has generally been understood as belonging to Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia, where the cities of Mecca and Medina are located. This animosity, manifested in the Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict, has greatly exacerbated the Shia–Sunni divide throughout the Muslim world.
Iran–Italy relations are the diplomatic relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Italian Republic.
Relations between Afghanistan and modern Iran were officially established in 1935 during Zahir Shah's reign and the Pahlavi dynasty's Reza Shah Pahlavi, though ties between the two countries have existed for millennia. As a result, many Afghans speak Persian, as Dari is one of the official languages of Afghanistan, and many in Afghanistan also celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year.
Bilateral relations exist between Armenia and Iran. Despite religious and ideological differences, relations between the two states remain extensively cordial and both are strategic partners in the region. Armenia and Iran are both neighbouring countries in Western Asia and share a common land border that is 44 kilometres (27 mi) in length.
Bangladesh–Iran relations are the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Iran. Despite not having any major deals or significant trade, the representatives of both nations have called for expanding bilateral economic relations. Both are members of the OIC and the Developing 8.
Iranians in the United Kingdom consist of people of Iranian nationality who have settled in the United Kingdom, as well as British residents and citizens of Iranian heritage. Iranians in the United Kingdom are referred to by hyphenated terms such as British-Iranians, British-Persians, Iranian-Britons, or Persian-Britons.
India and Indonesia established diplomatic relations on 16 April 1949. India recognized Indonesia's independence on 2 September 1946. Both countries are neighbours, India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands share a maritime border with Indonesia along the Andaman Sea.
Zabag is thought to have been an ancient territory located south of China somewhere in Southeast Asia, between the Chenla Kingdom and Java. Several historians have associated this kingdom with Srivijaya and thought its location was somewhere in Sumatra, Java or Malay Peninsula. Indonesian historians have suggested that Zabag is connected to the present day Muara Sabak area, the estuary of Batang Hari River in East Tanjung Jabung Regency, Jambi province. Zabag could also have been located in Java, not Srivijaya because Zabag is noted to annex Srivijaya, and the size of Zabag is only half the size of an island called Ramni (Sumatra).
Chinese–Iranian relations refer to the economic, political, and social relations between the People's Republic of China and the Islamic Republic of Iran. Official diplomatic relations were first established in 1937. The two civilizations had a history of cultural, political and economic exchanges along the Silk Road since at least 200 BCE and possibly earlier. They have developed a friendly, economic and strategic relationship.
Brunei Darussalam and Indonesia established diplomatic relations in 1984. Since then, both countries enjoy warm and friendly relations. Brunei has an embassy in Jakarta, while Indonesia has an embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan. Indonesia and Brunei don't share direct land borders. Since diplomatic relations were established back in 1984, relations between the two countries overall progressed well, and both sides continued to enjoy strong ties in a wide spectrum of co-operations; including trade and investment, tourism, agriculture, marine and fisheries, health, defence, transnational crimes, education, youth, culture and people-to-people contacts.
Indonesia and Iraq established diplomatic relations on 27 February 1950 when President Sukarno appointed Bagindo Dahlan Abdullah, a member of the Central Indonesia National Committee, to serve as the ambassador of the United States of Indonesia to Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan with a permanent residence in Baghdad. Diplomatic relations are important since they share similarity as Muslim majority countries. As they were established in 1950 from Indonesia embassy in Baghdad, while Iraq has an embassy in Jakarta. Both nations are members of the Non-Aligned Movement and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
Indonesia–Yemen relations are current and historical bilateral relations between Indonesia and Yemen since 21 April 1962. Indonesia and Yemen shared similarity as the Muslim majority countries, Indonesia is the most populous Muslim country in the world, while Yemen is also a Muslim majority nation. Indonesia has an embassy in Sana'a, while Yemen has an embassy in Jakarta. Both the countries have many cultural proximities and similar view on international issues and these nations are members of the Non-Aligned Movement, Indian-Ocean Rim Association and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
Foreign relations were officially established on 24 September 1992. Azerbaijan appreciates Indonesia's support in international forums on Azerbaijan's position regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Malay spoken by a minority of Filipinos, particularly in the Palawan, Sulu Archipelago and parts of Mindanao, mostly in the form of trade and creole languages, such as Sabah Malay.
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