Iran Signals De-escalation, But Tensions Remain High as Conflict Enters Second Week
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) – As the conflict between Iran and Israel entered its second week Saturday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian offered a conditional halt to attacks on neighboring countries, a move quickly overshadowed by continued strikes and escalating rhetoric from both sides. The offer, coupled with an apology for previous attacks, was met with skepticism from Washington and criticism from hardliners within Iran itself.
Pezeshkian stated Iran would cease attacks unless its territory was targeted from neighboring states, a signal of potential de-escalation welcomed cautiously by regional powers. “I personally apologize to neighboring countries that were affected by Iran’s actions,” he said, urging them not to join U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran.
However, U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed the apology as a surrender and warned of further, potentially wider, attacks on Iran. “Iran will be hit very hard,” Trump said, adding to a climate of heightened tension.
The Iranian president’s comments sparked immediate backlash from conservative elements within Iran. Hardline cleric Hamid Rasai criticized Pezeshkian’s stance on X, calling it “unprofessional, weak and unacceptable.” A former Revolutionary Guards commander also denounced the idea of an apology. Pezeshkian later repeated his statement on social media, omitting the apology to appease hardliners.
Despite the internal discord, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards reported drone strikes targeting a U.S. air combat center at Al Dhafra Air Base near Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. This claim has not been independently verified. Authorities in Dubai reported debris from intercepted aerial objects falling onto a vehicle, resulting in one fatality, and causing minor damage to a tower. Iranian state media also reported targeting U.S. forces in Bahrain, with blasts heard in Doha.
The conflict has already had a significant regional impact. Gulf states have voiced outrage over strikes on civilian infrastructure, despite their non-involvement in the initial U.S.-Israeli attacks. Kuwait’s national oil company began cutting output Saturday, joining earlier reductions from Iraq and Qatar. The disruption has roiled global markets, pushing oil prices to multi-year highs and effectively shutting down the Strait of Hormuz.
Israel, meanwhile, has vowed to continue its campaign against Iran. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated Israel has a “systematic plan to eradicate the Iranian regime” and warned Lebanon of a “very heavy price” if it does not rein in Hezbollah, following heavy airstrikes and a deadly airborne raid. The total death toll from Israel’s attacks on Lebanon since Monday has risen to 294, according to the Lebanese health ministry.
Iran claims U.S.-Israeli attacks have killed at least 1,332 Iranian civilians and wounded thousands, according to its U.N. ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani. Huge explosions were reported in Tehran.
The Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi responded to Trump’s comments, stating, “If Mr. Trump seeks escalation, it is precisely what our Powerful Armed Forces have long been prepared for, and what he will get.”
Hardline clerics within Iran are pushing for the swift selection of a new supreme leader, according to Iranian media reports. The Assembly of Experts, the clerical body responsible for choosing the next leader, could meet within the next 24 hours.
(France 24 with Reuters, AP and AFP)
