DUBAI, March 07, 2026, : Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday apologized to Gulf neighbors for recent missile and drone attacks, saying Tehran would halt strikes unless attacks against Iran originate from their territory.
However, questions were raised over the apology as air defense sirens and interceptions were reported in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE and Bahrain, fueling uncertainty across the Gulf as the conflict entered its second week.
“I personally apologize to the neighboring countries that were affected by Iran’s actions,” Pezeshkian said in a televised address, adding that Iran’s temporary leadership council had approved suspending attacks on neighboring states unless their territory is used to launch attacks against Iran. He said Tehran preferred diplomacy and did not seek confrontation with regional governments.
In Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Defense said a ballistic missile launched toward Prince Sultan Air Base fell in an uninhabited area, with no reported casualties.
Regional authorities said multiple missiles and drones were intercepted, with alerts and disruptions reported in several cities.
UAE authorities said the debris resulting from an interception caused a minor incident on the facade of a tower in Dubai Marina. There were no injuries and the situation was under control, they said.
Bahrain’s Interior Ministry said an attack caused a fire in Manama, damaging a house and other buildings.
The continued interceptions, despite Tehran’s conciliatory tone, left regional officials questioning whether the apology signaled a genuine effort to de-escalate or simply a shift in messaging while military operations continued.
Iran’s armed forces spokesman, Abolfazl Shekarchi, later reinforced the president’s remarks, saying Iran would avoid targeting neighboring countries unless their territory was used to launch attacks against Iran.
Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa said the kingdom remained committed to the “path of peace” despite continued attacks. Bahrain supported efforts that enhanced security and stability in the region and globally, he added.
“The people of the Kingdom of Bahrain are peaceful and believe in tolerance and coexistence,” Bahrain News Agency quoted him as saying.
In a message on X, President Pezeshkian said Iran seeks to preserve friendly relations with regional governments based on good neighborliness and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, while maintaining what he described as Iran’s inherent right to defend itself against the US and Israel. He said Iran would “stand firm to the last breath” in defense of the country and insisted that Iranian operations targeted only facilities linked to attacks against Iran, particularly US military bases in the region.
US President Donald Trump warned in a Truth Social post that more Iranian officials will be targeted, saying: “Today Iran will be hit very hard!”
Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of Iran’s parliament, said on X that the defense policies of Iran “are consistent, based on the guidelines of our martyred imam.”
He added that as long as the presence of US bases in the region continued, “the countries will not enjoy peace. Iranian officials and people are united on this principle.”
