In a post on X, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian repeated that Iran respects the sovereignty of neighbouring countries in the Middle East but is defending itself, APA reports.
"Your Majesties, heads of friendly and neighboring states, we have strived alongside you and through diplomacy to avoid war, but the American-Zionist military aggression has left us no choice but to defend ourselves. We respect your sovereignty, and we believe that the security and stability of the region must be achieved through the collective efforts of its states," the post reads.