‘Talking about ceasefire is pointless’: Iran vows defense and ‘devastating revenge’

Iran has ruled out a ceasefire amid ongoing hostilities, with foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghai saying Tehran would focus solely on defense and retaliation as long as attacks against the country continued.In an interview with the Iranian Student News Network, Baghaei said Iran would continue to target facilities used by so-called aggressors while avoiding confrontation with neighboring Muslim countries.“It is meaningless to talk about anything other than defense and devastating revenge against the enemy,” Baghaei said, stressing that Iran will continue to defend itself while the attacks continue.He also denied accusations of Iranian attacks on Turkey, Azerbaijan and Cyprus, claiming such incidents were “false flag attacks” aimed at framing Tehran and raising tensions in the region.Baghaei reiterated that Iran “will not go to war with its Muslim neighbors.” He further added that Tehran’s operations only targeted locations used by hostile forces. He said the actions were part of Iran’s so-called legitimate right to self-defense.Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also apologized on Saturday for Iran’s recent attacks on its U.S.-allied neighbor as the conflict in West Asia entered its second week.He said Tehran would not attack its neighbors unless they attacked Iran first.In remarks broadcast on state television, Pezeshkian said he regretted the attack and stressed that Iran had no intention of targeting nearby countries. According to Agence France-Presse, he said that Iran’s interim leadership council has decided to stop further attacks on neighboring countries unless attacks on Iran originate from its territory.“I must apologize on behalf of myself and on behalf of Iran to the neighboring countries that were attacked by Iran,” Pezeshkian said, adding that the Security Council agreed “that there will be no more attacks on neighboring countries and no missile launches unless attacks against Iran come from those countries.”Baghaei further accused the United States of pursuing Iran’s oil resources and seeking to weaken and potentially divide the country, saying Washington’s broader goal was to destabilize Iran.The remarks came as tensions in West Asia remain high, with missile and drone exchanges continuing in parts of the Gulf and adjacent areas. Iran has repeatedly said its military operations are retaliatory measures in response to attacks and pressure from its opponents.