Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued an apology on Saturday to neighbouring countries affected by Tehran's military actions during its ongoing conflict with Israel and the United States.
In remarks aired on state television, Pezeshkian said, “I apologise… to the neighbouring countries that were attacked by Iran,” acknowledging the wider regional impact of Iran's retaliatory operations.
Pezeshkian further said that neighbouring countries will not be targeted by Iran unless attacks against Iran originate from their territory. In a speech broadcast on state television, he explained that the interim leadership council had decided that Iran would halt strikes on nearby states, stating: “No more attacks will be made on neighbouring countries, and no missiles will be fired unless an attack on Iran comes from those countries.”
He added that the leadership council has been overseeing the country's affairs following the killing of Iran's supreme leader last week in US‑Israeli strikes, an event that set off the current regional conflict.
US President Donald Trump claimed that Iran had apologised and surrendered to its neighbouring countries in the Middle East and said that it was due to 'relentless U.S. and Israeli attack' in his post on his social media platform 'Truth Social'.
"Iran is no longer the 'Bully of the Middle East,' they are, instead, 'THE LOSER OF THE MIDDLE EAST,' and will be for many decades until they surrender or, more likely, completely collapse!" Trump said in his post.
He also said that Iran "would be hit very hard" and that forces will target "new areas and groups of people" not previously considered.
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