Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday apologised to neighbouring countries affected by Tehran’s retaliatory strikes, even as he vowed that Iran would not surrender to pressure from Israel and the United States amid the escalating regional conflict.
In a televised address broadcast by state media, the Iranian leader acknowledged that some neighbouring states were caught in the crossfire during Iran’s response to attacks by the US and Israel.
“I apologise… to the neighbouring countries that were attacked by Iran,” Pezeshkian said.
“I deem it necessary to apologise to neighbouring countries that were attacked. We do not intend to invade neighbouring countries.”
Despite the conciliatory message to regional governments, Pezeshkian struck a defiant tone toward Iran’s adversaries, insisting that the country would not capitulate.
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Iran’s enemies “must take their wish for the unconditional surrender of the Iranian people to their graves,” he said.
The president called for regional cooperation to “establish peace and calm,” adding that Iran’s leadership had directed the armed forces to “not attack neighbouring countries unless attacked first”.
He also warned regional actors against aligning with Iran’s rivals.
“Those considering exploiting this moment to attack Iran must not become puppets of imperialism,” Pezeshkian said, adding that supporting Israel or the United States is “not a path to honour and freedom”.
Shortly after the address, Qatar’s Ministry of Defence announced that its armed forces had “intercepted” a missile attack, highlighting the continuing volatility across the Gulf.
Meanwhile, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said it had begun a “broad wave” of fresh strikes targeting Iranian infrastructure in Tehran and Isfahan.
The latest developments come after Israel and the United States launched coordinated strikes on Iran on February 28, killing the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and triggering a wider regional confrontation.
Since then, Iran has carried out missile and drone attacks on Israel and US-linked targets across the region, particularly in Gulf countries hosting American military assets.
