Iran has issued its first meaningful signal that it may be willing to reduce tensions in the Middle East conflict, though the message came with significant conditions and was followed by continued military action. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran would halt attacks on Gulf nations if those countries do not allow their territories to be used as launch points for strikes against Iran. The statement represents the strongest indication so far that Iran may be seeking to prevent further escalation in the region.
However, shortly after the remarks were made, Iran launched a large wave of military attacks, firing 16 ballistic missiles and more than 120 drones toward the United Arab Emirates. The strikes marked one of the most significant offensives since the war began and occurred on the one week anniversary of the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in coordinated strikes carried out by the United States and Israel.
Despite the renewed attacks, Pezeshkian issued an apology to neighboring Gulf countries for the days of missile and drone strikes that had caused widespread alarm across the region. He suggested that some military actions were carried out independently by Iranian armed forces acting under standing defensive instructions rather than direct political orders from the government.
Uncertainty about Iran’s command structure has grown following the deaths of several senior leaders during the recent strikes. Pezeshkian is currently part of an interim leadership council formed to manage the country until a new supreme leader is selected. The council also includes senior cleric Ayatollah Alireza Arefi and judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei. Their role is to stabilize the government while Iran navigates what officials describe as one of the most severe crises in the history of the Islamic Republic.
At the same time, Iran’s armed forces and the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps appear to be operating with increased autonomy. According to Iran’s foreign minister, some military units have become “independent and somewhat isolated,” responding to general strategic directives rather than detailed command orders. This dynamic has made it difficult to determine whether Tehran’s political leadership can fully control ongoing military operations.
Iran also warned that any continued attacks launched from American military bases located in Gulf countries would trigger a decisive response. Several Gulf states host major U.S. installations, making them strategically sensitive locations as tensions escalate.
Meanwhile, global reactions have intensified. U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on social media that Iran had “surrendered to its Middle East neighbors” but warned that further military action against Iran was under consideration. Iranian military leaders responded by threatening severe retaliation against U.S. and Israeli interests throughout the region if hostilities continue.
Iran’s political leadership now faces an additional challenge in selecting a new supreme leader. The decision will be made by the Assembly of Experts, a powerful council of clerics responsible for choosing the country’s highest authority. The last time this process occurred was in 1989 when Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was appointed within a day of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s death. With Iran facing both military pressure and internal instability, the selection of the next supreme leader is expected to play a decisive role in shaping the country’s future direction.
