Iran has rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s demand for unconditional surrender as the conflict between Iran, the United States, and Israel enters its eighth day. In a televised address, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran would never capitulate, describing Trump’s call for surrender as unrealistic. According to reporting from The Guardian, Pezeshkian stated that Iran’s enemies should “take their dream of the Iranian people’s unconditional surrender to their graves.”
The speech marked a notable moment in the ongoing crisis, as Pezeshkian simultaneously issued a rare apology to neighbouring Gulf countries affected by Iranian military actions. Iran has launched missile and drone strikes in response to attacks on its territory, targeting not only Israel but also Gulf Arab states that host U.S. military bases. Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have all reported missile or drone incidents during the past week.
Pezeshkian said Iran’s temporary leadership council had approved suspending attacks on neighbouring countries unless military strikes against Iran originated from those territories. Speaking during the broadcast, he apologized directly to nearby states impacted by recent Iranian operations and emphasized that Tehran wanted to preserve relations with regional neighbours. Despite the statement, reports indicated that missile and drone activity continued across parts of the Gulf on Saturday morning.
The United Arab Emirates said its defence systems intercepted 15 ballistic missiles and 119 drones during the latest wave of attacks. Video circulating online and reported by the BBC appeared to show a drone strike near Dubai International Airport. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia confirmed that it intercepted a ballistic missile aimed at an airbase near Riyadh that hosts American personnel.
Trump responded quickly to Pezeshkian’s speech, warning that Iran could face devastating consequences if it refused to surrender. Writing on his Truth Social platform, the U.S. president said Iran was under serious consideration for “complete destruction” if it did not comply with American demands. Trump also claimed Iran had already effectively surrendered to its Middle East neighbours due to the pressure from U.S. and Israeli military operations.
Western officials remain cautious about interpreting Pezeshkian’s apology as a signal that Iran is preparing to scale back the conflict. According to The Guardian, analysts say it is unclear whether the Iranian president’s remarks reflect a coordinated shift in military policy or simply a political message aimed at calming regional tensions.
Meanwhile, the fighting continues across several fronts. Israeli officials said the Israeli Air Force launched a major pre-dawn operation involving about 80 fighter jets targeting Iranian military infrastructure. According to Israeli statements, the strikes hit a military academy, an underground command centre and a missile storage facility. Images released after the operation showed fires and heavy smoke rising from Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran.
Iran also carried out retaliatory strikes. Air raid sirens sounded across Jerusalem while explosions were reported in several Gulf cities, including Dubai and Manama. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps said it also targeted a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route for oil supplies.
The conflict was triggered by coordinated airstrikes by Israel and the United States that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iran’s government is now operating under a temporary leadership council while clerics from the Assembly of Experts work to select a new supreme leader. Hardline clerics have called for the decision to be made quickly in order to stabilize the country’s leadership during the war.
Humanitarian impacts are also mounting as the conflict expands across the region. Iran’s health ministry said at least 926 civilians have been killed and roughly 6,000 injured since the fighting began. In Lebanon, where Israel has intensified strikes against positions linked to Hezbollah, authorities say at least 339 people have been killed and hundreds of thousands have been displaced from their homes.
With the war spreading across multiple fronts from the Persian Gulf to the eastern Mediterranean, officials and analysts warn that the conflict could continue to widen unless diplomatic efforts succeed in bringing the fighting under control.
