Iran president declares halt to attacks on neighboring nations

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced that the country's interim leadership council has approved a suspension of missile and drone strikes against neighboring Gulf states. This decision, effective as of March 7, 2026, follows a series of regional attacks that began on February 28. Pezeshkian issued an apology to these neighbors, attributing recent damage to miscommunication while stating that future strikes will only occur if these nations facilitate attacks against Iran. Simultaneously, the president rejected calls for unconditional surrender made by Donald Trump, emphasizing that Iran will continue to defend itself against U.S. and Israeli actions. He clarified that Iran aims to target only American military infrastructure in the region, rather than regional neighbors. While Iran claims its operations have focused exclusively on U.S. facilities, affected countries have disputed this, noting that 13 people have died in the Gulf region since the conflict began. Meanwhile, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard warned the U.S. Navy against escorting commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, citing previous historical incidents. Pezeshkian has called for domestic unity and encouraged regional countries to pursue diplomatic solutions rather than acting as tools for external powers.