Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated on Saturday that Iran would no longer launch attacks against its Gulf neighbors unless strikes were launched against Tehran from those territories. In a speech broadcast on state television, he indicated that Iranian authorities had decided to cease missile launches targeting neighboring countries, while also offering an apology for the strikes carried out since the beginning of the conflict.
“I apologize (…) to the neighboring countries that have been attacked by Iran,” the head of state declared. Since the outbreak of the war on February 28, several Gulf states have been targeted by drones and missiles, with Tehran claiming to have targeted only American installations or interests in the region.
These attacks left thirteen dead, including an 11-year-old girl killed in Kuwait after debris fell on a residential area. In this context, several Gulf cities experienced days of tension. Dubai, where air traffic and tourist activities had been disrupted by security alerts, appears to be gradually returning to normal following conciliatory statements from Tehran.
Despite these apologies, Masoud Pezeshkian asserted that Iran would not surrender to the United States and Israel. "The enemies can take to their graves their wish to see the Iranian people surrender," he declared, as the war enters its second week and continues to fuel tensions in the Middle East.
