Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced that Iran will no longer attack neighboring countries unless those states are used to launch attacks against Iran, describing the move as an effort to reduce regional tensions. Speaking in a televised address, Pezeshkian said Tehran does not seek confrontation with countries in the region, including states where foreign military bases are located. He also expressed regret for the recent strikes that affected neighboring territories and confirmed that Iran’s interim leadership council has endorsed the new policy.
The statement comes after weeks of escalating confrontation involving Iran, Israel, and the United States. Following attacks on Iranian territory, Tehran launched retaliatory strikes against U.S. military bases across the region, many of which are located inside neighboring countries. Iranian officials repeatedly emphasized that those operations were not directed at the host nations themselves, but rather at foreign military facilities that were allegedly used in attacks against Iran.
According to Iranian authorities, these strikes were carried out as part of defensive measures to deter further attacks. Tehran maintains that its objective was to target specific military infrastructure linked to the United States, not to escalate conflict with regional governments. The new announcement signals that Iran is now attempting to separate its confrontation with external military forces from its relations with neighboring states.
Iranian officials have also accused Israeli intelligence agencies, particularly Mossad, of attempting to provoke a wider regional conflict through covert operations and alleged false‑flag incidents. According to Tehran, such actions are intended to draw neighboring countries directly into the conflict, thereby expanding the confrontation beyond Iran’s dispute with Israel and the United States.
By declaring that Iran will refrain from attacking neighboring countries unless directly provoked, Pezeshkian’s government appears to be sending a signal of restraint to the wider region. The move could help reassure neighboring states that Iran’s military operations are focused on deterrence rather than regional escalation.
