Iran’s president has apologised to his country’s neighbours for involving them in drone strikes.28 February’s US-Israeli attack on Iran has caused widespread disruption across the wider Middle East, with retaliatory Iranian strikes causing chaos across the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait. Various locations have also been targeted in Saudi Arabia, Oman and Azerbaijan.The attacks have led to increased hostility towards Iran, with Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed al Ansari telling press that ‘all red lines have already been crossed’.

Now Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has issued an apology for the attacks, vowing that no more attacks will take place unless they are attacked first.”I deem it necessary to apologise to neighbouring countries that were attacked,” Pezeshkian said on Iranian state TV.Iran’s decision to strike back across the Gulf followed the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed by airstrikes on the opening day of the conflict.Pezeshkian has now called the stikes a ‘miscommunication’, saying: “Our armed forces, when their commanders were gone conducted the operations that were necessary.”He then went on to promise that Iran would not fire on neighbouring countries ‘unless attacked first’.”We do not intend to invade neighbouring countries,” he said. “From now on, do not attack neighbouring countries unless attacked first.