Iran President apologises to neighbours, rejects US' 'surrender' demand

In a televised address, Pres. Masoud Pezeshkian said his country will halt attacks on regional countries, even as the US warned that the most intense bombing campaign of the war was yet to come

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday apologised to neighbouring countries for his country's recent barrage of missile and drone attacks against them, attributing it to miscommunication within military ranks, even as he rejected the United States’ (US) demand for “unconditional surrender”.

 

In a prerecorded address aired on state television, Pezeshkian said Tehran would halt attacks on regional countries and expressed regret for the strikes, some of which civilian targets, including airports, leading to widespread flight delays and cancellations.

 

He said Iran's temporary ‌leadership council had approved the suspension of attacks against neighbouring countries unless an attack on ‌Iran originated from those countries. Most of the countries in West Asia are home to some form of a US military base.

 

 

He also dismissed Washington’s demand that Iran surrender as a precondition for negotiations, calling it “a dream that they should take to their grave”.

 

The remarks came after US President Donald Trump on Friday reiterated there would be no deal with Iran unless it agreed to unconditional surrender.

 

Conflict spreads to Gulf states

 

Pezeshkian’s comments came amid escalating hostilities in the region, with Iranian strikes targeting Arab West Asian states early Saturday.

 

Air raid sirens sounded in Bahrain, while Saudi Arabia said it intercepted drones heading towards the Shaybah oil field and shot down a ballistic missile aimed at Prince Sultan Air Base, which hosts US forces.

 

Explosions were also reported in Dubai, prompting authorities to activate air defence systems. At Dubai International Airport, passengers were moved to underground train tunnels after alerts sounded. Long-haul carrier Emirates later announced that all flights to and from Dubai had been suspended until further notice.

 

At least one drone was seen hitting close to the passenger concourse at Dubai airport. 

Another Iranian attack drone hit Dubai International Airport, barely missing Concourse A. pic.twitter.com/axvNdrXUFn

— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) March 7, 2026

 

Meanwhile, Israel, which launched the joint strikes last week along with the US, said it had launched a broad wave of strikes on Iranian targets, with explosions and smoke reported over western Tehran. Incoming Iranian missiles also triggered alerts across Israel, sending residents to bomb shelters.

 

US warns of bigger strikes ahead

 

The US and Israel have carried out extensive strikes on Iranian military sites, leadership targets and parts of its nuclear programme during the conflict, which started exactly a week ago. The Islamic Republic's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in the first wave of strikes last Saturday morning.

 

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned in a television interview that the “biggest bombing campaign” of the war was still to come.

 

Trump reiterated in a social media post on Friday that the US would only consider a deal after Iran’s “unconditional surrender” and the emergence of what he described as “acceptable leaders”.

 

Officials say the fighting has killed more than 1,200 people in Iran, over 200 in Lebanon and around a dozen in Israel, while six US troops have also died.

 

Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations has said the country would “take all necessary measures” to defend itself.