Iran to suspend strikes on neighbors pending reciprocal attacks

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has announced that neighboring countries will no longer be targeted by Iranian retaliatory strikes unless an attack originates from there. This decision was made by the Iranian interim leadership council and was confirmed by Pezeshkian on Saturday.

The announcement comes as the conflict between Iran, the United States, and Israel enters its second week. The war has resulted in sustained retaliation from Tehran across the Gulf and beyond. Several countries in the region have been targeted due to the presence of US assets within and around their borders, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman.

Additionally, Iraq, Jordan, Azerbaijan, and Turkey have also been affected by the conflict. In the Gulf, there have been reports of deaths, damage, and disruptions to flights, as well as the closure of airspace and a significant impact on oil and gas production.

Qatar’s Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi has warned that if the war continues to escalate, global energy markets could be severely impacted. He stated that exports from the Gulf region could come to a halt within weeks, leading to increased energy prices worldwide and potential shortages of certain products.

The conflict has resulted in significant losses on both sides, with six US personnel killed in an Iranian attack on a US command center in Kuwait. In contrast, over 1,200 Iranians have been killed in US-Israeli strikes during the first week of the war.

Source: Al Jazeera