Iran Apologizes to Neighbors as Conflict Widens, Trump Vows Escalation
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) – Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, issued a rare apology Saturday to neighboring countries impacted by recent attacks, even as missile and drone launches continued toward Gulf Arab states. The apology, a signal of potential de-escalation, comes amid growing concerns that Iran’s political leadership is struggling to fully control its armed forces, particularly the powerful Revolutionary Guard.
Pezeshkian’s message, delivered one week into a conflict sparked by a Feb. 28 airstrike that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, also directly rejected repeated demands from U.S. President Donald Trump for Iran’s unconditional surrender, dismissing them as “a dream.”
“That’s a dream that they should take to their grave,” Pezeshkian stated.
The Iranian president, part of a three-man leadership council now overseeing the country, indicated a willingness to resolve the conflict through diplomacy, stating that attacks on neighboring countries should cease “unless we are attacked by those countries.” However, just hours after his address, missile and drone attacks disrupted flights at Dubai International Airport, targeted a major Saudi oil facility, and prompted civilians to seek shelter in Bahrain.
The attacks underscore the limited authority the interim leadership appears to have over the Revolutionary Guard, which controls Iran’s ballistic missile program and appears to be operating with increasing autonomy.
Trump responded to Pezeshkian’s apology with a warning posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, stating, “Today Iran will be hit very hard!” He also alluded to potential new targets, writing that areas and groups previously spared from attack were now “under serious consideration for complete destruction.”
The escalating conflict has rattled global markets and air travel. Emirates, the long-haul carrier based in Dubai, temporarily suspended flights before resuming operations later Saturday. Qatar’s energy minister, Saad al-Kaabi, warned the Financial Times that the war could “bring down the economies of the world,” potentially driving oil prices to $150 a barrel.
Adding to the regional tensions, clashes between Hezbollah fighters and Israeli forces were reported in eastern Lebanon, with Lebanon’s Health Ministry reporting at least 41 deaths and 40 wounded from Israeli airstrikes in the area. Hezbollah issued a warning for residents of northern Israeli towns to evacuate.
The United States has been conducting airstrikes targeting Iran’s military capabilities, leadership, and nuclear program. At least 1,230 people have been killed in Iran, over 200 in Lebanon, and 11 in Israel, according to officials in those countries. Six U.S. troops have also been killed.
An Iranian naval vessel, the IRIS Lavan, has docked in India after requesting assistance, according to Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. Another Iranian vessel, the IRIS Bushehr, was assisted in Sri Lanka, where over 200 sailors were brought ashore. Both ships had previously participated in naval exercises hosted by India. The U.S. Navy sank the IRIS Dena off the coast of Sri Lanka on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, a prominent cleric in Iran, Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi, urged the country’s Assembly of Experts to quickly name a new supreme leader, as buildings associated with the panel have been hit by airstrikes.
The conflict continues with no clear path to resolution. The U.S. approved a new $151 million arms sale to Israel, and U.S. officials have warned of an impending bombing campaign expected to be the most intense yet. Iran’s U.N. ambassador stated the country would “take all necessary measures” to defend itself.
