Iran Apologises to Neighbouring Countries but Refuses to Surrender to Israel and the United States
Iran has issued a rare apology to neighbouring countries following a series of missile and drone strikes that hit several locations across the Gulf region amid the ongoing conflict involving Israel and the United States. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran regretted the attacks and promised that Iran would no longer target neighbouring states unless they were directly involved in attacks against the country.
In a televised address broadcast on Iranian state television, Pezeshkian acknowledged that some recent strikes had affected nearby countries and civilian areas. He apologised on behalf of the Iranian government and assured neighbouring nations that the leadership council had decided to suspend such attacks. The Iranian president said the country had no intention of invading or harming neighbouring states and that future strikes would only occur if attacks against Iran originated from those territories.
The apology comes at a time when tensions across the Middle East have dramatically escalated. The conflict intensified after coordinated military strikes carried out by United States and Israel targeted Iranian sites in late February, including locations in the capital Tehran. The strikes reportedly killed several senior Iranian figures, including the country’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, triggering widespread retaliation by Iranian forces across the region.
Following those events, Iran launched a series of missile and drone attacks targeting Israeli positions and facilities linked to the United States in several countries around the Gulf. Some of the attacks also reached areas in nations such as the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, raising fears that the conflict could expand into a wider regional war.
Despite offering an apology to neighbouring countries, Pezeshkian made it clear that Iran would not surrender to pressure from Israel or the United States. He rejected demands from Washington calling for Tehran’s unconditional surrender, describing such expectations as unrealistic. According to the Iranian president, the Iranian people would continue to resist external pressure and defend their country’s sovereignty.
“We will not surrender,” Pezeshkian said in his address, adding that those hoping for the surrender of the Iranian nation would “take that wish to their graves.” The statement came shortly after strong remarks from Donald Trump, who warned that Iran could face even stronger military action if tensions continued to escalate.
Regional governments have expressed concern over the growing instability caused by the conflict. Some Gulf states have reportedly warned Iran against further strikes on their territory and signaled that they may take defensive action if attacks continue. At the same time, several countries in the region have called for diplomatic solutions to prevent the war from spreading further.
Military analysts say the apology from Tehran may represent an attempt to limit the regional fallout of the conflict while continuing to confront Israel and the United States directly. By promising not to strike neighbouring countries unless provoked, Iran appears to be trying to prevent additional nations from joining the conflict against it.
However, the situation remains highly volatile. Israeli airstrikes and Iranian retaliatory attacks have continued across multiple fronts, with reports of damage to infrastructure and civilian casualties in several areas. International organisations and world leaders are urging restraint and calling for urgent diplomatic negotiations to avoid a wider regional war.
As the conflict enters its second week, uncertainty remains over whether diplomatic efforts can succeed or whether the violence will continue to escalate across the Middle East.
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