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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced this Saturday, in a televised speech on state television, the suspension of bombings against neighboring countries and apologized to those nations, which he referred to as "brothers," while firmly rejecting the unconditional surrender demanded by Donald Trump. According to reports from Spanish media, the announcement comes amid an unprecedented military escalation in the region.
The announcement comes on the eighth day of the Operation Epic Fury, launched by the United States and Israel on February 28 following the failure of nuclear negotiations. In its first 72 hours, the operation targeted more than 1,700 Iranian objectives, including the nuclear facilities in Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow, Revolutionary Guard barracks, and between 9 and 11 Iranian naval vessels sunk.
Pezeshkian explained that the previous attacks against neighboring countries were a result of a "special and independent decision" made under exceptional circumstances, following what he described as a "cowardly and brutal attack" by the enemy against Iranian leaders and officials. He asserted that Iranian forces have only targeted "legitimate objectives" that were part of the U.S. and Israeli military structure.
However, the presidential announcement was contradicted almost immediately. Minutes after Pezeshkian's statement, Bahrain and Qatar reported new attacks against their territories. Agencies linked to the Revolutionary Guard reported a "wave of missile and drone attacks against Bahrain and Qatar," clearly indicating tension between the civilian government and the military establishment.
The spokesperson for the Iranian Armed Forces General Staff, Abolfazl Shekarchi, reiterated that any territory used as a platform for attacks against Iran would be considered a "legitimate target," effectively contradicting the president's message of de-escalation.
Pezeshkian's speech was also a direct response to Donald Trump, who on Friday demanded from Truth Social and Air Force One the unconditional surrender of Iran: "There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!". Trump also called on members of the Revolutionary Guard, the army, and the police to lay down their arms, claiming that the Iranian army "has disappeared" and lacks an air force, air defenses, operational missiles, and communications.
Pezeshkian responded firmly: "The idea that Iran will surrender unconditionally is a dream they will take to the grave." The Iranian leader added that his country "stands strong and will resist until death to defend our nation."
Iran responded to the Epic Fury Operation with the True Promise Operation 4, launching more than 500 ballistic missiles and 2,000 drones against Israel and 27 U.S. bases in the region, including the Al Udeid base in Qatar and targets in Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq. By the fifth day of the war, Iran reported 787 dead and more than 500 facilities damaged in nearly 1,000 attacks.
The contradiction between Pezeshkian's announcement and the continued attacks by the Revolutionary Guard exposes a visible fracture in the Iranian power structure, at a time when the regime is facing the most devastating military offensive in its recent history.
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