With the conflict in the Middle East continuing to expand, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Friday addressed ongoing mediation attempts aimed at resolving the crisis.
In a post on social media platform X, Pezeshkian said that some countries had initiated “mediation efforts” between the United States-Israel and Iran.
Tehran Reaffirms Commitment To Peace
Clarifying Tehran’s position, the Iranian president said Iran remained committed to peace in West Asia but stressed that mediation efforts should focus on those he described as responsible for provoking the conflict.
“Some countries have initiated efforts for mediation. Our response to them is clear: We are committed to lasting peace in the region, but we have not the slightest hesitation in defending the dignity and authority of our country,” Pezeshkian said.
“The audience for mediation should be those who, by underestimating the Iranian people, ignited the fire of provocation,” he added.
Israeli Strikes Target Tehran
Meanwhile, Israeli warplanes on Friday struck Iran’s capital Tehran, while Iran launched retaliatory attacks against Israel and several Gulf countries, the Associated Press reported.
Since the conflict began last week, the United States and Israel have carried out nationwide strikes on Iran, targeting senior leadership, the nuclear programme and military installations.
Earlier in the day, the Israeli military said it had begun “a broad-scale wave of strikes” on Tehran. Eyewitnesses described the attacks as particularly intense and said homes in the area were shaking, according to AP.
This comes as US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the US air campaign against Iran would “surge dramatically”.
Iran Launches Retaliatory Missile And Drone Attacks
In response, Iran launched missile and drone attacks targeting Israel as well as other countries in the Middle East, including Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. The attacks were aimed at countries hosting US military bases and installations.
Qatar said on Friday that it had intercepted a drone targeting Al Udeid Air Base, which hosts the forward headquarters of the US Central Command.
Saudi Arabia also intercepted and destroyed three ballistic missiles heading toward Sultan Air Base south of Riyadh, a defence ministry spokesperson said.
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