Iranian leader visits Indonesia to deepen economic ties amid global geopolitical challenges

BOGOR, Indonesia — Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will meet his Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo on Tuesday on a two-day trip aimed at strengthening economic ties between Muslim-majority nations amid heightened global geopolitical tensions.

Indonesia’s foreign ministry said Raisi was visiting at the invitation of Widodo as Indonesia aims to accelerate its post-pandemic recovery by increasing exports.

The visit is expected to deepen Iran’s ties with Indonesia as Tehran seeks alternatives to Western domination of international affairs led by the United States and seeks to strengthen cooperation after the two nations concluded negotiations on the Indonesia-Iran preferential trade agreement this month, the Indonesian Ministry of Commerce said. .

Ministry data showed that trade between Indonesia and Iran amounted to $54.1 million between January and March, while the value of bilateral trade last year increased by more than 23 percent. to reach $257.2 million.

Iran was a non-traditional trading partner for Indonesia, said Johni Martha, director of bilateral negotiations at the Indonesian Ministry of Commerce. “With this PTA, we hope to expand our market reach and export opportunities in the Middle East and Persia,” he said.

Southeast Asia’s largest economy is seeking new markets to diversify its export options and reduce its dependence on traditional trading partners, many of whom have been hit by a weakened global economy and geopolitical risks.

In February, Raisi met with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to seek further cooperation after their meeting last September in Uzbekistan, when Xi stressed China’s support for Iran.

Both countries have had strained relations with the United States and have sought to project themselves as a counterweight to American power alongside Russia.

Washington has accused Iran of selling hundreds of attack drones to Russia for its war in Ukraine and sanctioned the executives of an Iranian drone maker. At the same time, ties between Moscow and Beijing have grown stronger.

While in Indonesia, Raisi is to lay a wreath at the Kalibata Heroes Cemetery in Jakarta to honor the Indonesian war dead before meeting Widodo at the Presidential Palace in Bogor. They will witness the signing of the PTA and other agreements.

Before leaving Jakarta on Wednesday, Raisi will also meet Indonesian House Speaker Puan Maharani, religious figures and businessmen. He will visit the Grand Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, the largest in Southeast Asia, and give public lectures at an Islamic university.

Widodo’s last trip to Iran was in 2016, while Iran’s last official state visit was in 2015, when Hassan Rohani attended the 50th commemoration of the Asia-Africa Conference in Bandung.