Tehran – Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, firmly rejected a call for unconditional surrender from the United States on Saturday, even as regional tensions remain exceptionally high and Iranian strikes continue to impact neighboring nations. The rejection came during a televised address where Pezeshkian also issued an apology for recent actions that affected countries in the region, a move seemingly aimed at de-escalating the conflict that has now entered its eighth day and is disrupting global oil supplies and air travel.
Pezeshkian stated that Iran would never capitulate, responding directly to remarks made by the US president on Friday, who asserted that only Iran’s complete submission could bring an conclude to the hostilities. “Iran’s enemies must take their dream of the Iranian people’s unconditional surrender to their graves,” Pezeshkian declared, further escalating the situation. The conflict, triggered by the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, in joint airstrikes by Israel and the US, has rapidly expanded, drawing in Lebanon and impacting areas as far as the eastern Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean.
Apology and Conditional Suspension of Attacks
In a surprising move, Pezeshkian offered an apology to neighboring states for Iran’s recent military actions. This gesture appears to be an attempt to mitigate regional anger following Iranian strikes that have hit civilian targets in Gulf Arab countries. Tehran has responded to attacks on its own territory by targeting both Israel and Gulf Arab states hosting US military installations, although Israel has simultaneously intensified strikes on Lebanon, targeting the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah.
The Iranian president announced that Iran’s temporary leadership council had approved a suspension of attacks on nearby countries, but with a significant condition: this suspension is contingent on the absence of any assault originating from those states against Iran. “I personally apologise to neighbouring countries that were affected by Iran’s actions,” Pezeshkian said. Later, Mehdi Tabatabaei, the deputy for communications and public announcements at Pezeshkian’s office, clarified that Iran would not attack regional countries if they did not “cooperate in the US attack on Iran,” emphasizing that Iran will not submit to coercion and will respond decisively to any aggression from US bases in the region.
US Response and Continued Strikes
The apology and conditional offer were swiftly met with a warning from former US President Donald Trump, who threatened “complete destruction” if Iran does not surrender. On his Truth Social platform, Trump claimed Iran’s apology was a result of mounting US and Israeli military pressure, adding that Iran was “under serious consideration for complete destruction and certain death.” He also stated that Iran had “apologised and surrendered” to its Middle East neighbours.
Despite Pezeshkian’s remarks, reports indicate that strikes continued on Saturday. Video circulating on social media, obtained by the BBC, appears to display a drone strike on the property of Dubai international airport, impacting near concourse A, with at least four aircraft visible near the impact site. The United Arab Emirates reported intercepting 15 ballistic missiles and 119 drones on Saturday.
International Assessment and Regional Impact
Western officials are cautiously interpreting Pezeshkian’s comments, seeking to determine the authority behind the remarks and whether they signal a genuine shift in strategy. One official noted that Iranian capability appears to be degraded, citing briefings from US Central Command (Centcom) indicating a recent reduction in the number of attacks. However, the official cautioned that the Iranian offer to regional states is implicitly conditional, and it remains unclear whether In other words attacks will cease if countries refrain from allowing US bases to be used against Iran, or simply if a US base is present at all.
Meanwhile, Israel launched a fresh wave of strikes on Iran, deploying 80 fighter jets in a pre-dawn blitz that reportedly set one of Tehran’s main airports, Mehrabad International, on fire. Targets included a military academy, an underground command centre, and a missile storage facility. Iran retaliated with attacks that triggered air raid sirens and explosions above Jerusalem, as well as in Gulf cities like Dubai and Manama, and near Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where a ballistic missile aimed at an airbase hosting US personnel was intercepted.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps also claimed responsibility for hitting a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, effectively closing the vital maritime choke point for global shipping. According to Iran’s health ministry, at least 926 civilians have been killed and approximately 6,000 injured within Iran. In Lebanon, at least 217 people have been killed, and the prime minister, Nawaf Salam, has warned of an impending humanitarian disaster, with approximately 300,000 people having fled their homes, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council.
The situation remains fluid and highly volatile. The coming days will be critical in determining whether Pezeshkian’s remarks represent a genuine attempt to de-escalate the conflict, or merely a tactical pause. Continued diplomatic efforts and a clear understanding of the conditions attached to Iran’s offer will be essential to preventing further escalation and mitigating the devastating humanitarian consequences of this ongoing crisis.
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