Tehran: Iran has announced that it will temporarily halt attacks on neighboring countries if no attacks against Iran originate from those nations, President Masoud Pezeshkian said.
According to Pezeshkian, Iran’s temporary leadership council has decided to suspend strikes on neighboring countries provided that no attacks are launched against Iran from their territories.
The announcement comes as Iran continues retaliatory attacks against countries in the West Asian region following strikes carried out against Iran by the United States and Israel.
As the conflict initiated by the United States and Israel enters its second week, Pezeshkian said Iran would refrain from targeting neighboring countries unless they launch attacks on Iran. He added that Iran’s interim leadership council approved the decision on Friday.
In a statement published by Iranian media, the president also expressed regret over recent attacks that affected neighboring countries.
Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera correspondent Touhid Asadi said the president’s statement could be viewed as a limited effort to ease tensions, coming on the eighth day of attacks carried out across Iran by the United States and Israel. However, reports indicate that airstrikes are continuing in more than 170 cities across Iran.
Pezeshkian delivered his remarks in a five-minute pre-recorded message. He criticized attacks on residential areas, schools, and hospitals, saying they violated international laws and norms. He also called on the Iranian public to stand united and coordinated to protect the country’s sovereignty.
The president also issued a strong message to the United States, saying Washington is seeking unconditional surrender, but added that such a goal “will be taken to the grave.”
Countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)- including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman- had become potential targets of Iranian attacks due to the presence of US military forces in those countries. Iraq, Jordan, Azerbaijan and Turkey have also been drawn into the broader scope of the conflict.
Deaths and damage have been reported across the Gulf region. Air travel has been heavily disrupted, with airspace closures affecting international flights. Oil and gas production has also been impacted, creating global repercussions.
Meanwhile, Qatari authorities said they intercepted a missile launched from Iran just minutes after Pezeshkian’s message was released.
According to another Al Jazeera reporter, Rasoul Sardar, while Iranian political leaders handle routine administrative matters, key decisions on foreign and security policy are ultimately made by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
