The policy planning dialog and meetings with Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS) and Tehran International Studies and Research Institute (TISRI) have opened opportunities to gain understanding about Iran.

Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – The Foreign Policy Strategy Agency (known as BSKLN) of Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS) of Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs held the 8th Indonesia - Iran policy planning dialog in Tehran on Feb. 12, 2023.

"In the midst of regional and global dynamics marked by a trust deficit, encouraging a dialog to build shared understanding is very important and relevant," the BSKLN Head, Dr. Yayan G.H. Mulyana, said as quoted by the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website on Tuesday.

The two think tanks agreed to explore cooperation opportunities in the form of joint research to identify innovative steps to enhance bilateral cooperation.

In the dialog, BSKLN and IPIS exchanged views with intellectual perspectives on the development of bilateral relations between the two countries.

Regional and global issues of mutual concern are also discussed in the activity using research findings and studies by both parties.

In Panel I on the development of bilateral relations, IPIS said that bilateral relations which have existed for seven decades based on friendship and brotherhood are valuable assets that need to be maintained in the interests of both countries.

"It is necessary to encourage forms of economic cooperation that are free from the effects of sanctions, including the option of using the national currencies of the two countries and barter trade," Dr. Khalil Shirgholami, Vice President for Research at IPIS, said.

The Indonesian Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ronny Prasetyo Yuliantoro, used the same opportunity to convey the bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and Iran which he considered has been developing in many fields.

However, it is admitted that there is still a lot of potential for cooperation that has not been made further by the two countries, and with the current challenges, namely sanctions against Iran, both parties need to find the best way to overcome the existing challenges.

The policy planning dialog and meetings with IPIS and TISRI (Tehran International Studies and Research Institute) have opened opportunities to gain understanding about Iran and the country's policies regarding various regional and international issues based on data and structured knowledge acquired through research.

At the same time, these series of activities have also opened up the high curiosity of the Iranian epistemic community regarding Indonesia, ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific.

The next Indonesia - Iran policy planning dialog will be held in Indonesia in 2024.

The Indonesian delegation also held a series of meetings with relevant officials and think tanks in Iran on Feb. 12-13, 2023, including the Director General for East Asia of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Reza Zabib, and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran/Head of IPIS, Dr. Sheikholeslam.

Reporting by Indonesia Window