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Patrick Wintour<\/p>\nAnalysis: how should we interpret Pezeshkian’s statement?Patrick Wintour<\/p>\n
The announcement by Iran\u2019s president Masoud Pezeshkian that Iran<\/a> will no longer attack Gulf and neighbouring states if they are not attacking Iran appears on the surface a significant change in tactics, reflecting the overpowering diplomatic pressure Iran was under to change course, or risk uniting the whole of the Arab world against Iran. It would be an admission that Iran\u2019s current military strategy is heading for diplomatic disaster.<\/p>\n But the precise implications of his announcement remains open to interpretation. An Iranian armed forces spokesperson seemed to qualify its meaning heavily by saying:<\/p>\n double quotation markStrikes against the US and Israeli assets will continue. So far, we have targeted every base that was the origin of aggression against Iran and we remain committed to this matter. \u200cCountries that have not provided space and facilities to the United States and the Zionist regime have not been our target so far and will not be targeted in the future.<\/p>\n If the armed forces believe countries simply providing land, in terms of bases, remain legitimate targets, then effectively nothing has changed since there are US bases in almost every Gulf State. What Pezeshkian seemed to imply is that these countries will not be attacked if the US bases and airspace are not being used to attack Iran, an altogether different proposition.<\/p>\n Whether this reflects an internal disagreement, a reinterpretation of the decision taken by Pezeshkian and other members of Iran\u2019s temporary executive council or simply a more hardline way of explaining the political leadership\u2019s decision, time will tell. It is a test of where power lies in Iran in wartime.<\/p>\n But it was significant too that Pezeshkian chose to apologise and to argue Iran wanted to be on the right side of international law. Many lawyers claimed Iran\u2019s attacks on US bases in the region could be justified as acts of self-defence, but the wider attacks on Gulf infrastructure and oil installations could not.<\/p>\n If Pezeshkian\u2019s promise is translated into reality then Iran hopes the path to reunite the region and the focus can shift back to what it regards as the injustice of the US attacks in the midst of diplomacy.<\/p>\n The pressure to relent has been coming from all the Gulf states, but notably countries that have tried to be close to Iran, including Oman, Turkey and Qatar. Some of the phone conversations have been said to be seething.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a005.23 EST<\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n Show key events only<\/p>\n Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature<\/p>\n Lebanon will pay \u2018heavy price\u2019 if Hezbollah attacks continue, says Israeli official<\/p>\n Israel\u2019s defence minister Israel Katz warned Lebanon<\/a> that it will pay a \u201cheavy price\u201d if Hezbollah continues to attack his country.<\/p>\n In a statement broadcast on Israeli television, and reported by the Times of Israel<\/a>, Katz said Israel will not allow attacks on its troops or communities from Lebanese territory, saying that residents will not be evacuated.<\/p>\n In a message to Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, he said that if \u201cthe choice becomes protecting our civilians and the safety of our soldiers or Lebanon, we will choose to defend our civilians and our soldiers, and the government of Lebanon and Lebanon will pay a very heavy price\u201d.<\/p>\n Moments earlier, Hezbollah ordered residents of Kiryat Shmona, a northern Israeli city near the border with Lebanon, to evacuate and head south.<\/p>\n It did not say what action, if any, it planned to take.<\/p>\n Katz has repeatedly urged Israelis in the north to remain in their homes, saying the military will protect them.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a007.21 EST<\/p>\n Summary of developments so far<\/p>\n The Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian, apologised to neighbouring countries that were attacked by Iran. He said Iran\u2019s interim leadership council had approved stopping attacks or missile strikes against neighbouring countries unless an attack against Iran originated from those countries.<\/p>\n US president Donald Trump vowed Iran \u201cwill be hit very hard\u201d today. He said the US would target \u201careas and groups of people that were not considered for targeting up until this moment in time\u2019, without elaborating.<\/p>\n Trump said Iran has \u201csurrendered to its Middle East neighbours, and promised that it will not shoot at them any more\u201d. He argued this was only made possible \u201cbecause of the relentless US and Israeli attack\u201d.<\/p>\n Pezeshkian said a demand by the US for an unconditional surrender is a \u201cdream that they should to take to their grave\u201d. Trump said that only Iran\u2019s \u201cunconditional surrender\u201d would bring an end to the offensive launched a week ago.<\/p>\n Dubai airport has partially resumed services after reports of a nearby explosion. Emirates had initially announced that it would suspend flights to and from the airport but later said it was resuming operations today. News agencies on the ground reported several blasts were heard and the alert sounded.<\/p>\n Lebanese media reported that at least 26 people were killed, including three Lebanese soldiers, during an overnight clash with Israeli forces in the eastern Bekaa valley. Hezbollah said it was involved in the fighting in the town of Nabi Chit, where Israeli commando unit was reportedly deployed to the area by helicopter and confronted by local residents and armed fighters.<\/p>\n The Israeli military said its special forces carried out a raid in Lebanon<\/a> to locate the remains of Lt Col Ron Arad, a navigator on an Israeli jet whose plane went down in southern Lebanon in 1986. The operation was unsuccesful, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said, adding that there had been no Israeli casualties.<\/p>\n Iran and Lebanon continued to come under heavy Israeli strikes. The Israeli military said more than 80 fighter jets struck \u201ckey Iranian regime military infrastructure\u201d in Tehran and central Iran today. Israeli warplanes also hammered Beirut after ordering an unprecedented evacuation of the city\u2019s southern suburbs.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Trump: ‘Today Iran will be hit very hard’<\/p>\n US president Donald Trump said Iran<\/a> \u201cwill be hit very hard\u201d today as he responded to the Iranian president\u2019s apology to neighbouring countries.<\/p>\n In a post on Truth Social, he said Iran had \u201csurrendered to its Middle East neighbours, and promised that it will not shoot at them any more\u201d, and argued this was only made possible \u201cbecause of the relentless U.S. and Israeli attack\u201d.<\/p>\n He wrote:<\/p>\n double quotation markIran, 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. 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, \u201cThank you President Trump.\u201d I have said, \u201cYou\u2019re welcome!\u201d Iran is no longer the \u201cBully of the Middle East,\u201d they are, instead, \u201cTHE LOSER OF THE MIDDLE EAST,\u201d and will be for many decades until they surrender or, more likely, completely collapse! Today Iran will be hit very hard! Under serious consideration for complete destruction and certain death, because of Iran\u2019s 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!<\/p>\n As reported earlier, <\/a>the Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian, said in a pre-recorded message that Iran\u2019s interim leadership council had approved stopping attacks on neighbouring countries, unless an attack on Iran originated from those countries.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Pictures: Explosion near Dubai airport<\/p>\n We have some pictures from the newswires of the explosions reported near Dubai airport today, forcing the suspension of flights.<\/p>\n Shows smoke rising from the Dubai International Airport. The world\u2019s busiest for international traffic suspended operations before partially resuming services. Photograph: UGC\/ANONYMOUS\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Emirates airline announced on social media this morning that it had suspended flights to and from Dubai, but it has since deleted that post and said it has resumed operations. This was followed by a statement by Dubai airport confirming it has partially resumed services. Neither statements mentioned any attacks but said they were monitoring the situation to ensure safety for passengers and staff.<\/p>\n The Associated Press news agency reported that passengers at the airport, the world\u2019s busiest for international travel, were ushered down into train tunnels as several blasts were heard and the alert sounded.<\/p>\n Earlier, the UAE government said operations at Dubai\u2019s main airport had been suspended after the aerial interception of an object near the airport, the AFP news agency reported.<\/p>\n Shows smoke rising from the Dubai International Airport. The Iranian armed forces said it \u201crespect the interests and national sovereignty of neighbouring countries\u201d and has not carried out attacks against them, according to state media.<\/p>\n It follows a statement from the Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian, apologising to neighbouring countries \u201cthat were attacked by Iran\u201d. He said Iran\u2019s interim leadership council had approved stopping attacks or missile strikes against neighbouring countries unless an attack against Iran originated from there.<\/p>\n In a statement carried by Iran\u2019s semi-official Mehr news agency, the Khatam-al Anbiya central headquarters, which coordinates the army and IRGC, said Iran\u2019s armed forces \u201creiterated that they respect the interests and national sovereignty of neighbouring states and have not taken any hostile action against them\u201d.<\/p>\n It added: \u201cHowever, the headquarters added that in continuation of previous offensive actions, all military bases and interests belonging to the United States and the \u201cZionist regime\u201d on land, at sea, and in space across the region will be considered primary targets of powerful strikes by the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a006.18 EST<\/p>\n IDF: Forces carried out raid in Lebanon to locate remains of Israeli soldier Ron Arad<\/p>\n The Israeli military said its special forces carried out a raid in Lebanon to locate the remains of Lt Col Ron Arad, a navigator on an Israeli jet whose plane went down in southern Lebanon during a bombing raid in 1986.<\/a><\/p>\n The Israel<\/a> Defense Forces (IDF) does not say where the raid took place, but Lebanese media reported earlier of a clash between armed fighters and Israeli troops in the town of Nabi Chit in the eastern Bekaa valley.<\/p>\n No findings relating to Arad were discovered during the operation, the IDF said, adding that there had been no Israeli casualties.<\/p>\n In a statement posted on X, the IDF said:<\/p>\n double quotation markAs part of the IDF\u2019s activities in Lebanon, IDF special forces operated overnight in an attempt to locate evidence related to missing navigator Ron Arad. There were no casualties among our forces.<\/p>\n No evidence related to him was found at the search site.<\/p>\n The IDF will continue to operate tirelessly, day and night, with a deep commitment to bringing all our sons, the fallen and the missing, home to Israel.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a005.56 EST<\/p>\n IRGC says it targeted al-Dhafra airbase in UAE in ‘massive strike’ – report<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said its navy launched a \u201cmassive strike\u201d on al-Dhafra airbase in the UAE, according to Iran\u2019s semi-official Tasnim news agency.<\/p>\n It claimed that a US satellite communication centre, early warning radars and fire control radars were targeted in the strike this morning.<\/p>\n The UAE has not commented on the report.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Hezbollah and Israeli troops clash on the ground in Lebanon\u2019s Bekaa valley – report<\/p>\n Lebanon\u2019s official National News Agency reported that at least 26 people were killed, including three Lebanese soldiers, during an overnight clash with Israeli forces in the town of Nabi Chit in the eastern Bekaa valley.<\/p>\n The news agency said an Israeli commando unit was spotted being deployed to the area by helicopter and confronted by local residents and armed fighters in Nabi Chit. A clash ensued with heavy gunfire and Israeli airstrikes, the agency reported.<\/p>\n Hezbollah commented earlier today that its fighters were involved, after they \u201cobserved the infiltration of four Israeli enemy army helicopters from the Syrian direction\u201d.<\/p>\n After landing, advancing troops \u201cwere engaged by a group\u201d of Hezbollah fighters as they reached the Nabi Chit cemetery, the group said.<\/p>\n The Israeli military said it had targeted Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa valley overnight, but it did not comment on reports of a helicopter landing or ground operation in Nabi Chit.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Pictures: Tehran and Beirut come under continued heavy Israeli strikes<\/p>\n Smoke rises following an explosion in Tehran. Photograph: Naser Safarzadeh\/ReutersA screengrab of a video shared on social media shows heavy fire and smoke in the direction of Tehran\u2019s Mehrabad airport. Photograph: Social Media\/ReutersAftermath of an Israeli strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs. Photograph: ReutersA man inspects damage buildings after an Israeli strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs. Photograph: ReutersShare<\/a>Analysis: how should we interpret Pezeshkian’s statement? The announcement by Iran\u2019s president Masoud Pezeshkian that Iran<\/a> will no longer attack Gulf and neighbouring states if they are not attacking Iran appears on the surface a significant change in tactics, reflecting the overpowering diplomatic pressure Iran was under to change course, or risk uniting the whole of the Arab world against Iran. It would be an admission that Iran\u2019s current military strategy is heading for diplomatic disaster.<\/p>\n But the precise implications of his announcement remains open to interpretation. An Iranian armed forces spokesperson seemed to qualify its meaning heavily by saying:<\/p>\n double quotation markStrikes against the US and Israeli assets will continue. So far, we have targeted every base that was the origin of aggression against Iran and we remain committed to this matter. \u200cCountries that have not provided space and facilities to the United States and the Zionist regime have not been our target so far and will not be targeted in the future.<\/p>\n If the armed forces believe countries simply providing land, in terms of bases, remain legitimate targets, then effectively nothing has changed since there are US bases in almost every Gulf State. What Pezeshkian seemed to imply is that these countries will not be attacked if the US bases and airspace are not being used to attack Iran, an altogether different proposition.<\/p>\n Whether this reflects an internal disagreement, a reinterpretation of the decision taken by Pezeshkian and other members of Iran\u2019s temporary executive council or simply a more hardline way of explaining the political leadership\u2019s decision, time will tell. It is a test of where power lies in Iran in wartime.<\/p>\n But it was significant too that Pezeshkian chose to apologise and to argue Iran wanted to be on the right side of international law. Many lawyers claimed Iran\u2019s attacks on US bases in the region could be justified as acts of self-defence, but the wider attacks on Gulf infrastructure and oil installations could not.<\/p>\n If Pezeshkian\u2019s promise is translated into reality then Iran hopes the path to reunite the region and the focus can shift back to what it regards as the injustice of the US attacks in the midst of diplomacy.<\/p>\n The pressure to relent has been coming from all the Gulf states, but notably countries that have tried to be close to Iran, including Oman, Turkey and Qatar. Some of the phone conversations have been said to be seething.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a005.23 EST<\/p>\n Houthi official says Iran-backed militia ready to join war – report<\/p>\n The New York Times has reported a Houthi official as saying the Iran-backed milita in Yemen is ready to join the war.<\/p>\n \u201cThe expansion of the conflict to include other countries, including Yemen, is only a matter of time, and our hands are on the trigger,\u201d Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthi movement\u2019s political bureau, told the newspaper.<\/p>\n \u201cUltimately, the United States will be the biggest loser in this trajectory.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Senior Tory MP defends Badenoch after ‘hanging around’ comment<\/p>\n In the UK, a senior Conservative MP has defended party leader Kemi Badenoch after she was criticised for suggesting the British military had been \u201cjust hanging around\u201d in the Middle East as the Iran<\/a> crises deepens.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think she has anything to apologise for at all,\u201d Andrew Mitchell, a Conservative MP and former deputy foreign secretary, told Times Radio.<\/p>\n He said Badenoch had been making the point that ministers were too slow to offer support to allies.<\/p>\n Badenoch made the remark on BBC Breakfast yesterday, when she was asked whether she supported firing on Iranian missile launch sites. She responded: \u201cWhat else are our jets doing, just hanging around there?\u201d<\/p>\n Defence secretary John Healey called on her to apologise, saying it \u201cinsults the men and women of our armed forces\u201d.<\/p>\n Mitchell said: \u201cI think she was making a point that \u2026 British ministers were slow off the mark, and should have been much quicker to support the countries in the region with whom we have very deep and close relationships.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a005.03 EST<\/p>\n Dubai airport ‘partially’ resumes operations<\/p>\n Following a statement from Emirates that it will resume operations, Dubai airport said it was partially resuming services.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have partially resumed operations from today, 7 March, with some flights operating out of DXB and DWC,\u201d it posted on social media, referring to Dubai\u2019s main airport and Al Maktoum airport south-west of the city (which is also known as Dubai World Central).<\/p>\n \u201cPlease do not travel to the airport unless you have been contacted by your airline that your flight is confirmed, as schedules continue to change.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a004.17 EST<\/p>\n The Israel<\/a> Defense Forces (IDF) announced it has begun \u201ca broad wave of attacks\u201d against what it described as infrastructure belonging to the Iranian regime in Tehran and the central Iranian city of Isfahan.<\/p>\n Earlier, the IDF said more than 80 air force fighter jets struck \u201ckey Iranian regime military infrastructure\u201d in Tehran and central Iran<\/a> overnight.<\/p>\n
Photograph: UGC\/ANONYMOUS\/AFP\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a>Iran army says it respects neighbours’ sovereignty but will target US-Israel bases in response to attacks<\/p>\nPatrick Wintour<\/p>\n