Iran to halt attacks on neighbours unless provoked: Pezeshkian

KABUL (Pajhwok): Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said the country’s interim leadership council has approved a decision to halt attacks on neighbouring countries unless Iran itself comes under attack from their territory.

In a televised message broadcast today (Saturday), the president also apologised to neighbouring countries for the strikes that took place in recent days.

He said Iran had no intention of aggression against neighbouring states, adding that countries in the region should work together to maintain peace and stability.

“We do not intend to attack neighbouring countries… In a decision taken on Friday by the interim leadership council, the armed forces were instructed not to launch attacks or fire missiles at neighbouring countries unless an attack is launched against us from their territory,” he said.

Pezeshkian noted that the issue should be resolved through diplomacy and that tensions with Iran’s neighbours should be avoided.

On 28 February, the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran, during which Ali Khamenei, the country’s supreme leader, along with several other officials, lost their lives.

In response, Iran also launched attacks targeting US bases in several Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain.

kk/sa