Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has apologised to neighbouring countries for recent missile and drone strikes that affected their territories, saying Tehran did not intend to target them. He announced that Iran will halt further attacks on neighbouring states unless directly attacked from their soil, in a rare gesture amid the widening regional conflict. 

Pezeshkian made the remarks in a televised speech, expressing regret for the incidents while stressing that Iran’s actions were connected to the ongoing war triggered by U.S. and Israeli airstrikes earlier in the conflict. 

Despite the apology, he firmly rejected calls for Iran’s unconditional surrender, saying any expectation that Iran would capitulate to United States or Israel should be “taken to the grave,” affirming the country’s determination to resist external pressures. 

The developments come as the conflict enters its second week, with continued missile and drone incidents across the region and diplomatic strains between Iran and its Gulf neighbours.