NEWS DESK (MNN); Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday apologised for recent attacks carried out by Iran on neighbouring countries, saying the strikes were the result of a “miscommunication” within the ranks and assuring that Tehran would halt such actions in the future.
In a prerecorded address broadcast on Iranian state television following fresh attacks earlier in the day on Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Pezeshkian expressed regret over the incidents and extended a formal apology to the affected countries.
“I apologise to the neighbouring countries that were attacked by Iran,” he said during the televised speech, adding that he was offering the apology both personally and on behalf of the Iranian state.
The Iranian president said the country’s interim leadership council had decided to suspend further attacks on neighbouring states unless Iran itself was directly attacked by them.
“The interim leadership council agreed yesterday that no more attacks will be made on neighbouring countries and no missiles will be fired unless an attack on Iran originates from those countries,” Pezeshkian stated.
However, the Iranian leader rejected demands from the United States calling for Iran’s unconditional surrender, describing such expectations as unrealistic.
“The demand by the United States for an unconditional surrender is a dream that they should take to their grave,” he said.
Pezeshkian also reiterated that Iran would not surrender to Israel or the United States as the regional conflict in the Middle East entered its second week.
According to him, Iran’s enemies “must take their wish for the unconditional surrender of the Iranian people to their graves.”
The latest tensions in the region escalated after Israel and the United States launched military strikes against Iran on February 28. The attacks reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and triggered a wider regional conflict.
Since then, Iran has responded with a series of missile and drone strikes targeting Israel as well as United States interests in several countries across the Gulf region.
Following Khamenei’s killing, an interim leadership council was formed to run the country’s affairs, with President Masoud Pezeshkian being one of its three key members.
During his address, Pezeshkian emphasised that Iran had no intention of targeting neighbouring countries unless they were involved in attacks against Iran.
“I must apologise on my own behalf and on behalf of Iran to the neighbouring countries that were attacked by Iran,” he reiterated.
The Iranian leadership’s announcement came even as Tehran continued launching retaliatory strikes in parts of the region in response to ongoing US and Israeli military actions against Iran.
