TEHRAN / MIDDLE EAST — In a rare televised address amid a rapidly escalating regional conflict, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian apologized to neighboring Gulf countries after recent Iranian military strikes and announced a shift in Tehran’s posture toward its immediate neighbors.
“I apologize … to the neighboring countries that were attacked by Iran,” Pezeshkian said in the pre recorded message broadcast by state television on Saturday, March 7, 2026, following days of missile and drone launches that hit several Gulf states including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.
He said Iran’s interim leadership council has approved a policy that future offensives—or missile launches—will not be directed at neighboring countries unless those countries first attack Iran.
Pezeshkian framed the apology as an effort to navigate what he described as “miscommunication within military ranks” during an intense phase of retaliation in the conflict triggered by recent U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iranian territory.
The president also reaffirmed that Iran will not capitulate or surrender under foreign pressure, rejecting calls from the United States for unconditional surrender of Tehran’s leadership. He insisted the Iranian people’s resilience would outlast such demands.
The statement comes as the conflict enters its second week, marked by sustained strikes across multiple fronts — including heavy air raids by Israel on Iranian military infrastructure and robust air defenses deployed by Gulf States to intercept Iranian projectiles.
Gulf Cooperation Council nations have expressed alarm at the attacks, which have caused damage and disrupted commercial operations, including temporary closures of major airports.
Experts see the apology and conditional halt as a bid by Tehran to contain the spillover of violence into broader regional confrontation while maintaining its strategic stance against U.S. and Israeli military pressure.
Iran’s outreach to its neighbors underscores growing alarm about the broader consequences of the conflict for Gulf States’ security and regional stability. Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Manama have all condemned the strikes as violations of their sovereignty, even as they brace for potential escalation.
The policy shift also comes amid international diplomatic efforts aimed at preventing a catastrophic wider war that could further destabilize the Middle East and disrupt global energy markets.