Iran won't bow to US-Israeli pressure, says President Pezeshkian

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Sunday (March 8) that the U.S. and Israel want to create division between Islamic countries as the Middle East war entered a second week.

The president on Saturday (March 7) apologized to neighbouring states for its attacks on U.S. facilities in those countries, to cool anger across the Gulf. He said neighbouring countries are considered "brothers" and attacks do not mean that Iran has a dispute with the country affected.

Pezeshkian's comments faced backlash from some hardliners in Iran, prompting his office to reiterate Iran's military would respond firmly to attacks from U.S. bases.

The governments of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain reported Iranian drone attacks in their countries on Saturday (March 7) and early Sunday, with a huge fire engulfing a government office block in Kuwait.

U.S. President Donald Trump has justified the biggest U.S. military operation in the Middle East since the 2003 invasion of Iraq by saying Tehran posed an imminent threat to the United States, without providing evidence.

He has also said Iran was too close to being able to build a nuclear weapon.

Production: Leila Dougan/Reuters