Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has offered an apology to neighbouring countries affected by Tehran’s missile and drone strikes, signaling a softer tone in the escalating conflict with Israel and the United States.
The strikes targeted multiple US military bases across Gulf nations, including Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Kuwait, in retaliation for what Iran called “preemptive” attacks by the US and Israel.
Speaking in a video message aired on Iranian state television on Saturday, Pezeshkian said: “I deem it necessary to apologise to neighbouring countries that were attacked.
“We do not intend to invade neighbouring countries.” He emphasised the need for regional cooperation to “establish peace and calm.”
The president also outlined a directive for the Iranian armed forces: they are to “not attack neighbouring countries unless attacked first.” He warned that “those considering exploiting this moment to attack Iran must not become puppets of imperialism,” and added that supporting Israel or the US is “not a path to honour and freedom.”
Earlier, Iran’s ambassador to Nigeria, Mahdavi Raja, told TheCable that Tehran considered it within its rights to strike neighbouring Gulf countries, even if they maintain friendly ties with Iran. Raja defended the operation, noting that many US strikes originated from bases in the surrounding Arab nations.
The tensions continue to escalate as Gulf states remain on alert. Shortly after Pezeshkian’s address, Qatar’s Ministry of Defence announced that its armed forces had “intercepted” a missile attack.
Meanwhile, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) reported the start of a “broad wave” of fresh strikes targeting Iranian infrastructure in Tehran and Isfahan.