President Masoud Pezeshkian Apologizes to Gulf States, Says Tehran Will Only Retaliate if Attacked.
An apology — and a warning. Is Iran signaling de-escalation or drawing a new red line?
Iran signaled a potential shift in its regional posture on Saturday, with President Masoud Pezeshkian announcing that Tehran will suspend strikes on neighboring countries unless attacks are launched from their territory.
In a speech broadcast on state television, Pezeshkian declared that Iran would “never surrender” to Israel or the United States as the Middle East war entered its second week. At the same time, he offered an apology to regional states hit by Iranian missiles and drones in recent days.
“I must apologize on my own behalf and on behalf of Iran to the neighboring countries that were attacked by Iran,” Pezeshkian said. He added that the interim leadership council had agreed that “no more attacks will be made on neighboring countries and no missiles will be fired unless an attack on Iran originates from those countries.”
The remarks come after Israel and the United States launched coordinated strikes on February 28 that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and triggered a broader regional conflict. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. interests across the Gulf.
Pezeshkian is one of three members of an interim leadership council governing Iran following Khamenei’s death. His dual message — defiance toward Washington and Tel Aviv coupled with an overture to neighbors — suggests Tehran is attempting to contain the geographic spread of the war while maintaining a posture of resistance.
Regional capitals have been wary of being drawn into direct confrontation. Iranian strikes on Gulf cities in recent days rattled energy markets and raised fears of further escalation around critical infrastructure and shipping lanes.
By pledging to halt attacks unless provoked from neighboring territory, Tehran appears to be drawing a narrower line: retaliation will be tied explicitly to perceived participation in attacks on Iran.
Whether this declaration marks genuine de-escalation or a tactical pause remains uncertain. Much will depend on whether regional states allow their bases or airspace to be used in ongoing operations — and how Iran defines an “originating” attack.
For now, the message is calibrated: no surrender, but conditional restraint.
