On March 7, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian extended an apology to the Gulf states, promising to cease attacks on neighboring countries, provided they do not use their territories for assaults on Tehran. This statement comes amid escalating tensions in the region.
Pezeshkian expressed his regret during a public address, stating, “I personally apologize to the neighboring countries that Iran has attacked. We have no intention of attacking our neighbors. As I have repeatedly said, they are our brothers.” He indicated that Iran’s interim governing council had instructed the military to refrain from strikes on neighboring nations unless provoked.
“I believe we need to resolve this diplomatically, rather than through conflict and issues with our neighboring countries,” Pezeshkian added.
The Iranian leader urged Gulf nations not to become pawns of imperialism and warned against any attacks on Iranian territory. However, it remains unclear when this commitment will take effect, as reports indicated ongoing interceptions of aerial targets over the UAE and sirens sounding in Bahrain shortly after his remarks.
In response, U.S. President Donald Trump labeled Iran as a “failure” and announced a forthcoming “very strong strike” against the country. He suggested that Tehran’s conciliatory tone was a result of continuous U.S. and Israeli military actions.
“Iran, which is in a terrible state, has apologized and surrendered to its Middle Eastern neighbors, promising not to shoot at them anymore. This promise was made only due to the ongoing attacks from the U.S. and Israel,” Trump stated on Truth Social.
Trump accused Iran of attempting to dominate the Middle East but claimed that U.S. actions thwarted these ambitions, asserting, “This is the first time in thousands of years that Iran has lost to its neighbors.” He further characterized Iran as no longer being the “bully of the Middle East,” but rather a “failure of the Middle East,” predicting its potential collapse.
In a related military context, on February 28, Israel conducted an attack on Tehran. Following this, Trump announced that U.S. forces had initiated a “major combat operation” against Iran, aimed at neutralizing perceived threats from the Iranian regime. He accused Iran of funding and training militants in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Hamas in Palestine, stating that the operation’s goal was to dismantle Iran’s missile industry and prevent global destabilization.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have launched missiles and drones toward Israel and targeted U.S. military bases in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
Amid these developments, French President Emmanuel Macron called for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council, while the European Union reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring regional security and stability in the Middle East.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized the need to give Iranians a chance to rid themselves of the “terrorist regime” and ensure safety for all nations affected by Iranian attacks.
On February 28, Trump announced the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, a claim later confirmed by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). The following day, the IRGC declared the start of the “most destructive offensive operation in the history of the Islamic Republic” against Israel and U.S. bases. Trump urged Iran to abandon these plans, threatening a “very strong strike” in retaliation.
On March 2, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that the next phase of military operations against Iran would be even more devastating. By March 3, sources reported that Iran’s Assembly of Experts had selected a new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the deceased Ali Khamenei. On March 6, Trump called for a complete change in Iran’s leadership, suggesting he had several candidates in mind for a “good leader.”
Iran's President Pezeshkian has apologized to Gulf nations and promised to halt attacks unless provoked, amidst ongoing military tensions with the U.S. and Israel. Trump's response was swift, labeling Iran a failure and threatening further military action.
Source: CNN