As the war involving Iran, Israel and the United States entered its seventh day, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a rare public apology to neighbouring Gulf countries and announced that Tehran would stop attacking neighbouring nations unless they launch attacks against Iran first, reported news agency ANI.
In a televised address on Saturday, Pezeshkian said Iran’s leadership council had decided to halt missile strikes against neighbouring states in an effort to ease tensions in the region, reported ANI.
Iran apologises to Gulf nations
Pezeshkian acknowledged that recent Iranian missile and drone strikes had affected several countries in the Gulf and expressed regret over the situation.
“I apologise to neighbouring countries. We have no intention of invading other countries,” he said, adding that no further missile launches will target neighbouring states unless attacks originate from those territories against Iran, reported ANI.
The announcement appears aimed at reducing pressure from Gulf Arab states, many of which host US military bases and had been targeted during Iran’s retaliation following US-Israeli strikes on Iranian territory.
Defiance against US demands for surrender
Despite the conciliatory tone toward neighbouring countries, the Iranian president struck a defiant stance toward Washington and Tel Aviv.
He rejected calls from US President Donald Trump demanding Iran’s “unconditional surrender”, saying such expectations were unrealistic.
“They will take their dreams of us surrendering unconditionally to the grave,” Pezeshkian said, reported ANI.
Trump had earlier said the United States and its allies would only consider negotiations after Iran’s leadership fully capitulates and a new leadership emerges, even suggesting the country could be rebuilt afterward.
War continues despite diplomatic signal
Even as Iran signalled restraint toward neighbouring states, military operations across the region continued.
Israel launched a fresh wave of airstrikes targeting military facilities in Tehran and central Iran, including an underground ballistic missile production site and a military academy. According to Israeli military statements, over 80 fighter jets dropped around 230 bombs during the strikes.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) responded by announcing the 23rd wave of “Operation True Promise 4,” claiming it used advanced missile systems against Israeli targets and US bases in the region, reported ANI.
Wider regional tensions remain
The conflict, which began after joint US–Israeli strikes on Iran, has spread across multiple countries in West Asia and threatens broader regional instability.
Iran has previously launched missiles and drones at Gulf states such as the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, targeting locations hosting US military facilities.
While Tehran’s apology may signal a diplomatic attempt to avoid drawing additional countries into the war, the ongoing exchanges between Iran, Israel and US forces indicate that the broader conflict remains far from over.
If you want, I can also prepare a Day-by-Day timeline of the Iran-Israel-US war so far (which helps explain how the conflict escalated in just one week).
(With inputs from ANI)