TEHRAN: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has announced that Iran will refrain from targeting neighboring countries unless attacks against the country originate from their territory, signaling a possible shift in Tehran’s regional military posture.
According to Iranian media reports, the decision was approved by Iran’s interim leadership council during a meeting held a day earlier. Under the policy, neighboring states will not be targeted by Iranian forces unless their territory is used to launch attacks against Iran.
President Pezeshkian said the move was aimed at preventing further escalation with regional countries while maintaining Iran’s right to self-defense.
He said Iran would respond only if threats or attacks against the country were carried out from the territory of neighboring states.
The announcement comes amid heightened tensions across the Middle East, where recent military incidents have raised security concerns in several countries.
During his remarks, the Iranian president also apologized to neighboring countries for strikes carried out in recent days.
He acknowledged that the recent military actions had caused concern among regional governments and emphasized that Iran does not seek confrontation with its neighbors.