Iran Apologises To Neighbours, Says It Will Halt Strikes Unless Attacked

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran will halt military strikes on neighbouring countries unless attacks against Iran originate from their territory, signalling a conditional attempt to reduce regional escalation amid the ongoing Middle East conflict.

In a televised address on Saturday, Pezeshkian said Iran’s temporary leadership council had approved a decision to stop targeting neighbouring states. According to Reuters, the Iranian president said the country would suspend missile and drone strikes on nearby nations provided they do not launch attacks on Iran from their territory. The move was presented as an attempt to prevent the conflict from spreading further across the region.

Pezeshkian also apologised to Gulf states that were affected by recent Iranian attacks. According to The Guardian, he said Iran does not intend to assault neighbouring countries and described them as regional “brothers,” while also rejecting calls from U.S. President Donald Trump for Iran’s unconditional surrender. The apology and pledge to halt strikes were described as a rare diplomatic gesture during an escalating conflict.

The announcement comes as the war between Iran, Israel and the United States enters its second week. The fighting began after U.S. and Israeli airstrikes targeted Iranian military and nuclear facilities in late February, triggering Iranian retaliation through missile and drone attacks on Israeli targets and U.S. military bases across the Middle East. According to Reuters, the conflict has expanded across several countries in the region and raised concerns about wider instability and disruption to energy supplies.

Despite the pledge to halt attacks on neighbouring states, hostilities in the wider region have continued. Iranian officials have warned that any country allowing the United States or Israel to launch strikes from its territory could still be considered a legitimate target. Regional governments have increased air defence activity, intercepting missiles and drones as the conflict spreads beyond Iran and Israel.

Analysts say the announcement represents a conditional de-escalation rather than a ceasefire. Military operations between Iran, Israel and allied forces are ongoing, and leaders on all sides have continued to issue warnings of further strikes, leaving the broader conflict unresolved.