Iran’s President Apologises to Neighbours, Signals Halt to Strikes Unless Attacked
Regional Security | Middle East
Iran’s president Masoud Pezeshkian has apologised to neighbouring countries affected by Iranian missile and drone strikes during the past week’s escalating conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States, while announcing that Tehran will halt attacks on nearby states unless it is struck first.
In a televised address broadcast by Iranian state media on Saturday, Pezeshkian said Tehran had issued new instructions to its armed forces limiting military operations against neighbouring countries.
“I deem it necessary to apologise to neighbouring countries that were attacked,” Pezeshkian said in the message. “We do not intend to invade neighbouring countries.”
He added that Iran’s leadership had ordered the military not to conduct attacks on neighbouring states unless Iran itself is attacked first, signalling a possible attempt to ease tensions across the Gulf.
Missile Strikes on Gulf Bases
The apology comes after Iran launched missiles and drones targeting U.S. military installations across several Gulf countries following what Tehran described as “pre-emptive” attacks by Washington and Israel earlier in the conflict.
The retaliatory strikes targeted facilities in:
- Bahrain
- Qatar
- United Arab Emirates
- Kuwait
Iranian officials argued that those locations hosted U.S. military bases used to launch attacks against Iran.
Iran’s Ambassador Defends Strikes
Speaking earlier in the week, Mahdavi Raja defended the operations, saying Tehran believed it had the right to strike bases in neighbouring countries if they were being used to attack Iran.
According to Raja, many of the military operations carried out by the United States against Iranian targets originated from installations located in surrounding Arab states.
He stressed that the strikes were aimed at military facilities rather than the host nations themselves, despite the political sensitivity of attacking territory belonging to friendly governments.
Call for Regional Cooperation
Despite defending the earlier actions, President Pezeshkian adopted a more conciliatory tone in his latest remarks.
He called on countries in the region to work together to reduce tensions and prevent the conflict from spiralling further.
“We must cooperate to establish peace and calm in the region,” he said.
Pezeshkian also warned regional actors against supporting military actions against Iran, saying those who attempt to exploit the situation would risk becoming “puppets of imperialism.”
He argued that aligning with Israel or the United States would not bring honour or independence to regional states.
Qatar Reports Missile Interception
Shortly after the Iranian president’s address, the defence ministry in Qatar said its armed forces had intercepted a missile attack targeting the country.
Officials did not immediately confirm whether the missile was connected to earlier Iranian operations or whether it represented a separate incident amid the broader regional conflict.
Israeli Military Expands Strikes
At the same time, the Israel Defense Forces announced it had launched a “broad wave” of new strikes targeting Iranian infrastructure.
According to Israeli military statements, the latest operations focused on sites in Tehran and Isfahan, two key centres of Iran’s political authority and industrial capacity.
The strikes are part of a rapidly intensifying confrontation that now spans several countries and threatens to draw more regional actors into the conflict.
A Delicate Attempt at De-Escalation
Analysts say Pezeshkian’s apology reflects a delicate balancing act by Iran’s leadership.
While Tehran wants to demonstrate that it will retaliate against attacks on its territory, it also appears keen to avoid alienating neighbouring Gulf states whose cooperation is critical to regional stability and economic ties.
The pledge not to attack neighbouring countries unless provoked could therefore represent an effort to contain the geographic spread of the conflict — even as direct hostilities between Iran, Israel and the United States continue to escalate.
Whether the message succeeds in calming regional tensions remains uncertain, particularly as military operations continue and both sides show little sign of backing down.
