Iran president apologises to Gulf nations, vows no more attacks

As the war involving Iran Israel and the United States entered its seventh day Iranrsquos President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a rare public apology to neighbouring Gulf countries and announced that Tehran would stop attacking neighbouring nations unless they launch attacks against Iran first reported news agency ANIIn a televised address on Saturday Pezeshkian said Iranrsquos leadership council had decided to halt missile strikes against neighbouring states in an effort to ease tensions in the region reported ANIIran apologises to Gulf nationsPezeshkian acknowledged that recent Iranian missile and drone strikes had affected several countries in the Gulf and expressed regret over the situationldquoI apologise to neighbouring countries We have no intention of invading other countriesrdquo he said adding that no further missile launches will target neighbouring states unless attacks originate from those territories against Iran reported ANIThe announcement appears aimed at reducing pressure from Gulf Arab states many of which host US military bases and had been targeted during Iranrsquos retaliation following USIsraeli strikes on Iranian territoryDefiance against US demands for surrenderDespite the conciliatory tone toward neighbouring countries the Iranian president struck a defiant stance toward Washington and Tel AvivHe rejected calls from US President Donald Trump demanding Iranrsquos ldquounconditional surrenderrdquo saying such expectations were unrealisticldquoThey will take their dreams of us surrendering unconditionally to the graverdquo Pezeshkian said reported ANITrump had earlier said the United States and its allies would only consider negotiations after Iranrsquos leadership fully capitulates and a new leadership emerges even suggesting the country could be rebuilt afterwardWar continues despite diplomatic signalEven as Iran signalled restraint toward neighbouring states military operations across the region continuedIsrael launched a fresh wave of airstrikes targeting military facilities in Tehran and central Iran including an underground ballistic missile production site and a military academy According to Israeli military statements over 80 fighter jets dropped around 230 bombs during the strikesIranrsquos Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps IRGC responded by announcing the 23rd wave of ldquoOperation True Promise 4rdquo claiming it used advanced missile systems against Israeli targets and US bases in the region reported ANIWider regional tensions remainThe conflict which began after joint USndashIsraeli strikes on Iran has spread across multiple countries in West Asia and threatens broader regional instabilityIran has previously launched missiles and drones at Gulf states such as the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain targeting locations hosting US military facilitiesWhile Tehranrsquos apology may signal a diplomatic attempt to avoid drawing additional countries into the war the ongoing exchanges between Iran Israel and US forces indicate that the broader conflict remains far from overIf you want I can also prepare a DaybyDay timeline of the IranIsraelUS war so far which helps explain how the conflict escalated in just one weekWith inputs from ANI