In a surprising televised address on Saturday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a formal apology to neighbouring states for the recent wave of strikes that have battered the region. Seeking to de-escalate tensions that have brought the Middle East to the brink of a systemic collapse, Pezeshkian insisted that Tehran has "no intention of invading" its neighbours, framing the recent chaos as an unfortunate fallout of the broader confrontation with the West.
The President revealed that Iran’s temporary leadership council has now formally approved a policy to halt all missile launches and attacks directed at adjacent countries. This ceasefire, however, remains conditional: the council has made it clear that restraint will only last as long as these nations do not allow their territory to be used as a launchpad for American or Israeli strikes against the Islamic Republic. "There will be no more attacks... unless attacks originate from those countries against Iran," said Pezeshkian, attempting to draw a line under a week of cross-border volatility.
The diplomatic olive branch comes at a critical juncture. Since the initial joint US-Israeli offensive against targets inside Iran, Tehran has responded with a barrage of retaliatory measures that have frequently spilled over into the Gulf states, rattling global energy markets and forcing the closure of Western embassies. By offering this apology, Pezeshkian appears to be trying to peel away regional governments from Washington’s influence, even as he remains combative toward the United States itself.
Despite the softer tone regarding his neighbours, the Iranian leader remained defiant when addressing the White House. He flatly dismissed rumours that the US was pushing for an unconditional surrender from Tehran to end the current hostilities. "They will take their dreams of us surrendering unconditionally to the grave," he told the Iranian public, signalling that while he is willing to negotiate a truce with his neighbours, the war with "Tel Aviv and Washington" is far from over.
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