Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday issued an unusual public apology to neighbouring countries that were caught in the crossfire of Tehran’s recent missile campaign, signalling a possible attempt to calm rising tensions across the Gulf region.
Speaking in a televised address, Pezeshkian said Iran regretted the strikes that hit nearby states during the ongoing confrontation, stressing that Tehran does not intend to target regional neighbours unless attacks on Iran originate from their territory. “I apologise to the neighbouring countries that were attacked by Iran,” he said, adding that the policy reflects Tehran’s effort to prevent the conflict from spiralling further across West Asia.
The Iranian leader explained that Iran has formally adopted a restraint doctrine: it will refrain from launching missiles or military strikes against neighbouring nations unless their territory is used as a platform to launch attacks against Iran. According to Pezeshkian, the decision has been endorsed by Iran’s interim leadership council as part of a broader strategy to avoid dragging more countries into the escalating crisis.
Emphasising that Tehran does not quarrel with governments in the region, Pezeshkian said Iran seeks stability with its neighbours despite the ongoing confrontation with Israel and the United States. At the same time, he made it clear that Iran would not bow to pressure. “Those who dream of the Iranian people surrendering should take that wish to their graves,” he declared.
The remarks come after a week of intense retaliation by Iran following the killing of its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in joint US-Israeli strikes. Iranian missile attacks struck several locations across the Gulf, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain — with dramatic footage circulating online showing explosions and damage in multiple areas.
The current crisis began after the United States and Israel carried out coordinated airstrikes across Iran on February 28 under an operation dubbed “Operation Epic Fury.” The strikes targeted several Iranian cities, including the capital Tehran, following stalled nuclear negotiations and accusations that Tehran had resumed sensitive nuclear activities.
Khamenei was killed during the strikes on his Tehran compound. Members of his family, including his daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter, also died in the attack. His wife, Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, later succumbed to injuries sustained during the bombardment, further intensifying the shockwaves inside Iran and across the region.
