Iran president apologizes for attacks on neighbors, mocks Trump’s call for ‘unconditional surrender'
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian apologized to neighboring nations on Saturday, saying that Tehran would cease its attacks unless it was hit first. He also said President Donald Trump's call for an "unconditional surrender" was a "dream that they should take to their grave." Trump made the demand in a Truth Social post on Friday.
Trump mocks Iran's apology to neighboring countries: 'Loser of the Middle East'
President Donald Trump mocked Iran as the "loser of the Middle East" after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian apologized to neighboring nations and vowed to stop attacking them unless it was hit first.
In a Truth Social post Saturday, Trump said Iran would maintain that "loser" status for decades "until they surrender or, more likely, completely collapse."
In response to Operation Epic Fury, Iran had launched retaliatory missile and drone attacks against at least 12 other countries in the region, and some Arab states signaled a bolstered military posture and were weighing possible military action against Iran.
"Iran, which is being beat to HELL, has apologized and surrendered to its Middle East neighbors, and promised that it will not shoot at them anymore," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday. "This promise was only made because of the relentless U.S. and Israeli attack. They were looking to take over and rule the Middle East."
"It is the first time that Iran has ever lost, in thousands of years, to surrounding Middle Eastern Countries. They have said, 'Thank you President Trump'," he continued. "I have said, 'You’re welcome!' Iran is no longer the 'Bully of the Middle East,' they are, instead, 'THE LOSER OF THE MIDDLE EAST,' and will be for many decades until they surrender or, more likely, completely collapse!"
"Today Iran will be hit very hard!" Trump vowed. "Under serious consideration for complete destruction and certain death, because of Iran’s bad behavior, are areas and groups of people that were not considered for targeting up until this moment in time. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
Trump says Iran would have had nuclear weapon 8 months ago without Operation Midnight Hammer
President Donald Trump said at the Shield of the Americas summit that Iran would have had a nuclear weapon if the U.S. had not carried out Operation Midnight Hammer last summer.
"They were very close to a nuclear weapon. They would have had one if we didn't do our B-2 hit Midnight Hammer, they would have had it eight months ago. They would have had a nuclear weapon," Trump said in Doral, Florida.
Trump hosts Shield of Americas summit with world leaders as Iran attacks continue
President Donald Trump is addressing the Shield of Americas summit, a gathering of leaders from the Western Hemisphere aimed at fostering cooperation to combat drug cartels, as the U.S. continues its attacks on Iran.
Argentine President Javier Milei, Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz Pereira, Chilean President-elect Jose Antonio Kast, Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves Robles, Dominican President Luis Rodolfo Abinader Corona, Ecuadorian President Daniel Roy Gilchrist Noboa Azín, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele Ortez, Guyanese President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, Honduran President Nasry “Tito” Asfura, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino Quintero, Paraguayan President Santiago Peña and Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar are expected to attend the summit.
While the leaders meet, American forces are continuing to carry out Operation Epic Fury against Iran.
Israel urges civilians to evacuate from some areas in Lebanon as it strikes Iranian proxy Hezbollah
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson for Arabic media Col. Avichay Adraee issued warnings to civilians in Lebanon to evacuate certain areas as Israel hits Iranian proxy Hezbollah. The warnings included maps showing areas of southern Lebanon that the IDF planned to hit.
"The IDF will soon strike military infrastructure belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organization, following its prohibited attempts to restore its activity in the area," the warning read. "We call on residents of the structures marked in red on the attached map, as well as those in nearby structures: you are located near structures used by Hezbollah. For your safety, you must evacuate immediately and move at least 300 meters away."
The IDF went on to warn that "remaining in the area of the marked structures puts you at risk."
The IDF hit multiple Hezbollah targets after the terrorist organization launched rockets and drones toward Israel on March 2, its first attack since a November 2024 ceasefire ended the previous round of fighting.
Fox News Digital's Efrat Lachter contributed to this report.
Iranian official warns European nations against joining war, says they will be 'legitimate targets'
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi cautioned European nations against joining the ongoing war in the Middle East during an interview with FRANCE 24.
Takht-Ravanchi told the outlet that Iran "already informed the Europeans and everybody else that they should be careful not to be involved in this war of aggression against Iran." He went on to warn that any country that "joins America and Israel in the aggression against Iran, they will be also legitimate targets for Iran's retaliation."
The deputy foreign minister said that Iran was "negotiating in good faith" with the U.S. prior to the launch of Operation Epic Fury.
Takht-Ravanchi's statement came hours before Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran would stop attacking neighboring nations unless it was attacked first.
Putin called Iranian president to offer condolences over US-Israeli strikes, urge end of hostilities
Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly spoke with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and offered his condolences for civilians killed in what he called "the armed Israeli-American aggression against Iran." He also reportedly offered his sympathies over the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The Russian president called for a cessation of hostilities in Iran and a return to diplomacy in a statement released by the Kremlin, according to Reuters.
"Vladimir Putin reaffirmed Russia's principled stance in favour of an immediate cessation of hostilities, the rejection of force as a method to solve any issues surrounding Iran or arising in the Middle East, and a swift return to the path of diplomatic resolution," the Kremlin said, according to Reuters.
Iranian president says he is halting attacks on neighboring countries unless Iran is attacked first
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday apologized to neighboring countries that have been attacked by Iran, adding that future attacks will only take place in response to an attack.
“I should apologize to the neighboring countries that were attacked by Iran, on my own behalf,” he said, according to The Associated Press. “From now on, they should not attack neighboring countries or fire missiles at them, unless we are attacked by those countries. I think we should solve this through diplomacy.”
Pezeshkian made the apology during a prerecorded televised speech on Saturday after Iran launched repeated strikes on Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman.
The decision came after Iran's temporary leadership council talked with the country's armed forces amid alleged miscommunication in the ranks following the deaths of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other leaders.
Pezeshkian also stated during the speech that the United States' demand for an unconditional surrender is a "dream that they should take to their grave."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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