Iran renews threat to Gulf neighbours hours after 'apology'

Amidst ongoing conflict, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signals a potential de-escalation by apologising to neighbouring countries while firmly rejecting US President Donald Trump's demand for unconditional surrender.

Hours after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian apologised to Gulf neighbours for bombing them, the president's office reasserted a caveat on Saturday.

“If countries in the region do not cooperate in the US attack on Iran, we will not attack them,” a spokesperson for Pezeshkian's office said.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran has always emphasised the preservation and continuation of friendly relations with the governments of the region based on good neighborliness and mutual respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity. This does not negate Iran's inherent right to defend itself against military aggression by the United States and the Zionist regime," President Pezeshkian also posted on X in Persian.

Iran's hardline judiciary chief too later said the Islamic republic would continue targeting neighbours offering its enemies "points... used in aggression against our country".

"Evidence from Iran's armed forces shows that the geography of some countries in the region is openly and covertly at the disposal of the enemy," said Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, who is also a member of the interim leadership council. "The heavy attacks on these targets will continue," he added.

Earlier, in a televised address, Pezeshkian said that a decision has been taken by the leadership council not to attack neighbouring countries.

"I apologise to the neighbouring countries. We have no intention of invading other countries. The temporary leadership council announced yesterday that there will be no more attacks on neighbouring countries and no missile launches, unless attacks originate from those countries against Iran," Pezeshkian said.

Trump says Iran ‘lost'

Trump had claimed hours earlier that Iran had “lost” and “surrendered to Middle East neighbours”. 

"Iran, which is being beat to HELL, has apologized and surrendered to its Middle East neighbors, and promised that it will not shoot at them anymore. This promise was only made because of the relentless U.S. and Israeli attack. They were looking to take over and rule the Middle East. It is the first time that Iran has ever lost, in thousands of years, to surrounding Middle Eastern Countries. They have said, "Thank you President Trump." I have said, "You're welcome!" Iran is no longer the "Bully of the Middle East," they are, instead, "THE LOSER OF THE MIDDLE EAST," and will be for many decades until they surrender or, more likely, completely collapse!," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

Trump also warned that more Iranian officials would become targets in the war, saying: "Today Iran will be hit very hard!"

US Demands Unconditional Surrender

The Iranian President's apology came after Trump declared that there would be "no deal with Iran except unconditional surrender", asserting that Tehran must capitulate before any diplomatic negotiations can proceed.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump emphasised that the US and its allies, particularly Israel, would only consider an agreement with Iran after the country's leadership completely yields and is replaced by "great & acceptable leader(s)".

He also articulated ambitions to help reconstruct Iran into a stronger nation following its capitulation, coining the phrase "MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN (MIGA!)" in an echo of his familiar political slogan.

"There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER! After that, and the selection of a GREAT & ACCEPTABLE Leader(s), we, and many of our wonderful and very brave allies and partners, will work tirelessly to bring Iran back from the brink of destruction, making it economically bigger, better, and stronger than ever before. IRAN WILL HAVE A GREAT FUTURE. "MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN (MIGA!),"" his post read.

Earlier, Trump had expressed his desire to be personally involved in selecting Iran's next Supreme Leader following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a US-Israel joint military strike last week, as reported by Axios.

In an exclusive interview with Axios, Trump said he wanted a role in the appointment of Iran's next leader, drawing a comparison to his involvement in political developments in Venezuela in January following the capture of its former President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in a US military operation.

Iran tells US to take 'surrender dream to grave'

Reacting to Trump's 'surrender' remark, Pezeshkian struck a note of defiance ruling out any suggestion of Iran surrendering as the US-Israel intensified its campaign with greater firepower.

"Unfortunately, there is a trend where, disregarding all international laws, they bomb wherever they please, not refraining from targeting schools, hospitals, and various centres within the country...We must all join hands and powerfully defend our water, soil, and land. We stand ready to give our lives to pull our Iran proudly out of this crisis. As for the idea of us surrendering unconditionally, they must take such a dream to their graves," the Iranian President said.

Military Actions Continue

Meanwhile, the theatre of war has seen no relenting. A wave of Israeli airstrikes in Tehran and central Iran on Friday night targeted several key Iranian military sites, including an underground ballistic missile factory and a military academy, the IDF said.

According to the Israeli military, more than 80 Israeli Air Force fighter jets dropped 230 bombs on the targets during the strikes. Among the targets was a subterranean site "for the storage and production of ballistic missiles, from which hundreds of soldiers from the armed forces of the Iranian terror regime operated," the IDF said.

Countering that the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) announced that on Friday night it had launched the 23rd wave of Operation True Promise 4, highlighting the deployment of new-generation missile systems against targets in the occupied territories and US bases across the region. According to the statement, the latest wave involved advanced missile systems designed to strike multiple targets.