Loser of Middle East: Trump insults Iran after apology to Gulf nations

US President Donald Trump on Saturday labelled Tehran as the "loser of the Middle East" after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian apologised to the neighbouring countries for attacks launched during its war with Israel and the United States. He also warned that Iran "will be hit very hard" today. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, "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. This promise was only made because of the relentless U.S. and Israeli attack."  "Iran was "looking to take over and rule the Middle East," he said.

Earlier, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday apologised to neighbouring countries for recent attacks amid the escalating regional conflict, saying Tehran had no intention of invading other nations even as hostilities with Israel and the United States intensified. In a televised address, Pezeshkian said Iran’s temporary leadership council had decided to suspend attacks on neighbouring countries and halt missile launches unless those countries initiated attacks against Iran. Iran’s president said authorities have instructed the armed forces to halt missile strikes on neighboring countries unless attacks originate from their territory.
“The armed forces have so far acted with a kind of ‘fire at will’ authority, but they have now been notified that from now on they must not attack neighboring countries or target them with missiles,” he said. “To groups in neighboring countries who may think of using this opportunity to attack our territory, I send this message: do not become tools of imperialism,” said Iran’s president. The comments come as on Saturday explosions were reported at Dubai International Airport and loud blasts heard in Abu Dhabi.
Meanwhile,Iran’s Intelligence Ministry warned on Saturday that people who film sites hit in attacks and send the footage to what it called hostile foreign satellite channels and online platforms would face legal action. In a warning message, the ministry said those people were acting as a “fifth column” for Israel by recording locations that had been struck and sending the images satellite networks, social media pages and other media outlets. The ministry said it was monitoring the actions of those it described as “soldiers of Israel” and would deal with them firmly.
Iran’s nationwide internet blackout entered its second week on Saturday, with the public still cut off from vital updates and alerts 168 hours after the shutdown was imposed, internet monitoring group NetBlocks said. The “regime-imposed national internet blackout” remained in place after a full week, leaving the public isolated while officials and state media retained access, NetBlocks said.