Iran Apologises to Gulf States as Israel Iran War Intensifies
Israel and Iran exchanged new attacks on Saturday as their war entered a second week, while Tehran issued a rare apology to neighbouring states affected by Iranian strikes.
Masoud Pezeshkian apologised to countries in the Gulf region that had been impacted by Iranian actions and urged them not to join the U.S. and Israeli campaign against Iran.
«I personally apologise to neighbouring countries that were affected by Iran’s actions,» Pezeshkian said, adding that Tehran would suspend attacks on nearby states unless assaults on Iran originated from their territory.
However, Donald Trump dismissed the statement and insisted Iran must accept unconditional surrender, warning that the country could face further heavy strikes.
Regional strikes spread across the Gulf
Shortly after Pezeshkian’s remarks, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said its drones targeted a U.S. air combat centre at Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates, though the claim could not be independently verified.
State media in Tehran also reported large explosions in several areas of the capital.
The conflict has increasingly spread beyond Iran and Israel. Tehran has launched strikes against Israel and Gulf states hosting U.S. military facilities, while Israel has carried out new attacks in Lebanon after the Iran-aligned militia Hezbollah fired across the border.
Several Gulf countries have reported drone or missile incidents in recent days, including the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
The UAE defence ministry said its forces destroyed 15 ballistic missiles and intercepted 119 drones launched from Iran. Flights to and from Dubai were briefly suspended after debris fell following an interception.
Fighting intensifies despite diplomatic tensions
Iranian naval forces said they had launched drone attacks on Israeli targets as well as U.S. bases in Abu Dhabi and Kuwait, which Tehran described as retaliation for a U.S. submarine strike on the Iranian vessel IRIS Dena near Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, Israel said it launched another wave of strikes on Tehran and Isfahan. The Israeli military also reported seven Iranian missile barrages on Saturday that triggered air raid sirens across parts of the country.
Global tensions and economic risks
The conflict has unsettled global markets and pushed oil prices to multi-year highs as the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed. Around one fifth of the world’s oil supply passes through the strait each day.
Washington said it would provide up to $20 bn in reinsurance to support shipping in the Gulf. The U.S. Navy has also indicated it may escort vessels through the waterway.
Iran rejected Trump’s suggestion that Washington should play a role in choosing the country’s next supreme leader. Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, said the decision would be made solely by the Iranian people under the country’s constitutional process.
The Kremlin said Vladimir Putin had expressed condolences to Pezeshkian over civilian casualties caused by what Moscow described as Israeli and American attacks on Iran and called for an immediate halt to the fighting.
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