Iran’s President, Masoud Pezeshkian, has delivered a rare public apology to neighbouring countries affected by Iran’s recent missile and drone strikes across the region, even as he firmly declared that Iran would never submit to pressure from Israel or the United States.
In a speech broadcast on Iranian state television, Pezeshkian addressed the escalating regional tensions that have followed a series of military confrontations involving Iran, Israel, and the United States. While expressing regret for the impact of Iran’s military responses on neighbouring nations, he simultaneously reaffirmed Tehran’s determination to resist any attempts to force the country into submission.
According to Pezeshkian, Iran’s adversaries must abandon any expectations that the Iranian people would capitulate under external pressure. He said that the notion of Iran surrendering unconditionally to its enemies was unrealistic and would never materialize.
“Our enemies must take their wish for the unconditional surrender of the Iranian people to their graves,” Pezeshkian declared in his televised address. His remarks reflected a broader sentiment within Iran’s leadership that the country must maintain its sovereignty and resist what it views as aggressive foreign interference.
The president’s comments come in the wake of a dramatic escalation in hostilities following coordinated military strikes carried out by Israel and the United States on February 28. Those attacks targeted several strategic locations within Iran and resulted in the death of Iran’s long-serving supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Khamenei’s death marked a historic turning point for the Islamic Republic, triggering political uncertainty within the country and intensifying tensions across the Middle East. The strikes also ignited a wider regional conflict, drawing in various actors and raising fears of a prolonged confrontation.
Following the attack that killed Khamenei, Iran launched retaliatory operations involving missiles and drones aimed at Israeli targets and United States military interests located in several countries across the region, particularly in the Gulf.
These retaliatory strikes significantly heightened the level of insecurity in neighbouring countries, many of which host American military bases or maintain security partnerships with Washington. As a result, the risk of the conflict spreading further across the Middle East has become a major concern for regional governments and the international community.
Since the death of the supreme leader, Iran has been governed by an interim leadership council composed of three senior figures tasked with managing the country’s political and security affairs during the transition period. Pezeshkian is one of the key members of this temporary governing body.
The council has been responsible for coordinating Iran’s military response to the attacks while also attempting to maintain internal stability during a period of national shock and geopolitical uncertainty.
During his televised address, Pezeshkian acknowledged that Iran’s retaliatory actions had affected neighbouring countries and expressed regret over the consequences of those strikes. His apology was notable because such public expressions of regret are relatively uncommon in Iran’s official rhetoric, particularly during periods of military confrontation.
Speaking directly to governments and citizens in neighbouring states, Pezeshkian said Iran did not intend to target them and that their territories were only affected due to the broader conflict dynamics.
“I must apologise on my own behalf and on behalf of Iran to the neighbouring countries that were attacked by Iran,” he said.
The Iranian president explained that the missile and drone operations were primarily aimed at responding to attacks on Iran and protecting the country’s security interests, rather than intentionally harming neighbouring states.
Pezeshkian also disclosed that the interim leadership council had recently taken a decision intended to reduce tensions with surrounding countries and prevent the conflict from escalating further.
According to him, the council agreed that Iran would cease launching attacks toward neighbouring territories unless those countries were directly involved in hostile actions against Iran.
“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,” he said.
This statement appeared to signal a shift toward a more defensive military posture, aimed at preventing additional regional escalation while still maintaining Iran’s readiness to respond if it perceives new threats.
Despite the conciliatory tone of his apology, Pezeshkian remained resolute in his criticism of Israel and the United States. He accused both countries of provoking the current crisis through their military strikes and warned that Iran would continue to defend itself against any future aggression.
The Iranian leadership has consistently argued that its missile and drone operations are acts of self-defence carried out in response to foreign attacks on its territory and leadership.
For Iran, the killing of its supreme leader by foreign forces represents not only a severe political blow but also a violation of its sovereignty. Iranian officials have repeatedly vowed that such actions will not go unanswered.
At the same time, Pezeshkian’s speech suggests that Iran’s leadership is attempting to balance its retaliatory posture with efforts to reassure neighbouring countries that it does not seek a wider regional war.
Many countries in the Gulf region have been particularly concerned about being drawn into the conflict, given the presence of American military installations and strategic infrastructure on their soil. Missile strikes or drone attacks targeting these facilities could easily spill over into civilian areas or trigger retaliatory actions.
By issuing a public apology and announcing a conditional halt to attacks on neighbouring territories, Iran may be attempting to reduce diplomatic tensions and reassure regional governments that it does not intend to escalate the conflict unnecessarily.
However, analysts believe the situation remains highly volatile. The death of Iran’s supreme leader has created a significant power vacuum, and the country’s political future remains uncertain as the interim leadership council oversees the transition process.
Meanwhile, relations between Iran, Israel, and the United States remain deeply strained, with the potential for further confrontations still looming.
Pezeshkian’s speech therefore reflects a complex strategy: offering diplomatic reassurance to neighbouring states while simultaneously projecting strength and resistance toward Iran’s primary adversaries.
As the region continues to navigate this tense and unpredictable period, the international community will be closely watching whether Iran’s pledge to halt attacks on neighbouring countries helps reduce tensions or whether further incidents will reignite the cycle of retaliation.
For now, Pezeshkian’s message appears to combine apology with defiance—acknowledging the unintended consequences of Iran’s military actions while insisting that the country will never surrender its sovereignty or yield to external pressure.
