Iran’s president Masoud Pezeshkian apologized to neighboring countries after Iranian strikes and escalating regional conflict triggered major tensions across the Middle East, according to remarks broadcast on Iranian state television.
Pezeshkian said he was sorry to countries that were targeted during recent military operations and announced that Iran’s leadership had ordered the armed forces to stop attacking neighboring states unless an attack originates from their territory.
The comments came as powerful explosions were reported in Tehran during intense Israeli airstrikes that struck several sites in the Iranian capital, including areas near Mehrabad Airport, amid the widening conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States, according to international media reports.
Iran has previously launched missile and drone attacks toward several Gulf countries hosting U.S. military facilities, raising fears of a wider regional war.
Pezeshkian said Iran would halt such actions unless those countries were directly involved in attacks against Iran, according to reports.