Masoud Pezeshkian, President of Iran, has rejected calls for the country’s unconditional surrender amid the ongoing war with the United States and Israel. Pezeshkian said those hoping Iran would surrender would “take that dream to their graves,” making it clear that the country would not give in to pressure as tensions in the region continue to escalate. Despite the strong rhetoric, the Iranian leader also sought to reassure neighbouring countries, stating that Iran has no intention of launching attacks against them unless strikes against Iran originate from their territory. Pezeshkian explained that Iran’s interim leadership council has approved a policy aimed at avoiding the targeting of neighbouring states, signalling an effort to prevent the conflict from spreading further across the region.He also issued an apology to neighbouring countries for any attacks that may have affected them during the ongoing conflict, stressing that Tehran holds no hostility toward regional nations. According to Pezeshkian, Iran’s position is that any military action will remain defensive in nature, warning that retaliation would only occur if other countries were used as a base for attacks against Iran. The remarks come as the conflict continues to intensify following airstrikes by the United States and Israel, raising fears of a broader regional escalation in the Middle East.•