The President of Iran Republic, Masoud Pezeshkian, has declared that his country will cease targeting neighboring states amid the escalating conflict with the United States and Israel, saying unless those nations serve as launchpads for enemy assaults.
This announcement, made on Saturday, 7th March, 2025, followed a decision by Iran’s interim council, while coming with an apology for recent missile strikes that disrupted Gulf economies and grounded regional airports.
The statement underscored Tehran’s readiness to de-escalate tensions with Gulf allies like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman, which have borne the brunt of Iranian retaliation since the war erupted last Saturday.
Iranian media reported Pezeshkian’s remarks, emphasizing that the leadership remained functional despite the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in coordinated US-Israeli strikes on Tehran, which also claimed the lives of his family members and other Iranian top officials.
Over 1,300 deaths have been reported in Iran from the ongoing bombardment, as the conflict entered its eighth day. In the past week, Iran has unleashed waves of missiles and drones under operations like “True Promise 4,” hitting US-linked bases, hotels, and oil facilities across the Gulf. This has caused explosions in cities from Dubai to Doha.
Saudi Arabia condemned the strikes as treacherous aggression, vowing support for affected neighbors, while air defenses in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan intercepted several projectiles.
These attacks have led to the ignition of global surges in oil prices, as public life in targeted areas was devastatedly affected.
Complicating the problems, Iran continues to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint for 20-25% of world oil trade, stranding over 3,000 vessels and 20,000 seafarers.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) struck an oil tanker, the Prima, with a drone on Saturday after warnings, and a tugboat incident killed four crew members, prompting the International Maritime Bureau to declare the strait effectively closed.
While Iran denies a full shutdown, it bars US or Israel-linked ships, exacerbating economic fallout.Pezeshkian reiterated Iran’s resolve, stating it pursued diplomacy but would not surrender, urging regional cooperation for stability.
As the conflict widens, with Israeli operations in Lebanon, the Gulf’s security hangs in precarious balance, with fears of broader economic destabilization looming large.