Iran Strikes In Bahrain Day After President’s Apology: Decoding Leadership Split After Khamenei

Last Updated:March 08, 2026, 15:23 IST

Within hours of President's apology to neighbouring countries for missile, drone strikes, Iran launched attacks on US Navy’s 5th Fleet in Bahrain. Decoding the rift in leadership

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday issued an unprecedented public apology to neighbouring countries for missile and drone strikes launched during the ongoing conflict with Israel and the United States. However, within hours, Iran on Sunday launched fresh attacks on the United States (US) Navy’s Fifth Fleet in the Juffair District in Manama, Bahrain, killing at least 21 soldiers.

The apology has exposed a significant and deepening rift within Iran’s leadership — Pezeshkian’s pragmatic interim council and hardline military elements, specifically the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

News18 decodes what it means:

THE APOLOGY

Speaking on state television, Pezeshkian stated, “I must apologise on my own behalf and on behalf of Iran to the neighbouring countries that were attacked by Iran".

He attributed the strikes to “miscommunication in the ranks" and “fire at will" instructions that occurred after central command was disrupted by initial U.S.-Israeli strikes.

ALSO READ | US-Israel-Iran War Live Updates HERE

He announced that Iran’s interim leadership council had approved a suspension of attacks on neighbours, provided those countries are not used as launchpads for strikes against Iran.

Despite the apology, he firmly rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s demand for “unconditional surrender", calling it a “dream they should take to their grave".

The apology and Pezeshkian’s bid for “diplomatic solution" came during a volatile week where Iranian missiles have hit civilian and industrial targets in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Saudi Arabia. Pezeshkian’s move was seen as a high-stakes diplomatic gamble to prevent further regional escalation following a week of intense warfare that began on February 28.

HOW WAS THE APOLOGY INTERPRETED?

The apology was interpreted in several ways by regional experts and world leaders, according to reports in foreign media:

Some reports called it a part of “regional diplomacy", an attempt to de-escalate and prevent Gulf states (like Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Bahrain) from joining a US-Israeli coalition.

Some highlighted how it signalled a fracture in Tehran. Hardliners and the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) have condemned the apology as “weak" and “humiliating", continuing strikes even as the President spoke.

As Iran’s leadership is weakened following the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on March 1, some called it a tactical move to buy time.

While US President Donald Trump viewed it as a sign of surrender caused by “relentless" military pressure, Israel has remained sceptical, viewing it as a move to stall their campaign to “eradicate the regime".

RETREAT AFTER APOLOGY: HARDLINERS’ REACTION AND THE STATEMENT THAT FOLLOWED

Just hours after Pezeshkian apologised and ordered a halt to regional strikes, the IRGC launched new drone and missile attacks on the Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE and targets in Bahrain.

Hardline officials, including Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and lawmaker Hamid Rasai, publicly condemned the apology as “weak, unprofessional, and unacceptable".

The President blamed “miscommunication in the ranks" and “fire at will" actions for the strikes on neighbours.

Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, another member of the interim council, contradicted the President by vowing that “heavy strikes" would continue against any country hosting U.S. bases used to attack Iran.

Under intense internal pressure, Pezeshkian’s office released a follow-up statement on social media that omitted the apology entirely, instead claiming Iran had not attacked “friendly" neighbours at all.

WHY THE RIFT IS DEEPENING NOW

The assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28 has removed the single authority that traditionally kept these factions in check. Without a Supreme Leader, the IRGC, which typically answers only to that office, appears to be operating independently of the civilian government.

The rift is intensified by an urgent struggle within the Assembly of Experts to appoint a new leader, with hardliners pushing for a candidate who will maintain a “maximum resistance" posture.

A council comprising President Masoud Pezeshkian, Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, and Alireza Arafi (representing the Guardian Council) is running the country.

Reports indicate that the Assembly of Experts has reached a “majority consensus" on a successor, but procedural “obstacles" and wartime security concerns have delayed a formal announcement. Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late Ali Khamenei, is widely reported as the frontrunner. He is heavily backed by the IRGC, though his potential appointment faces opposition from some assembly members who warn against hereditary rule.

PRESSURE FROM IRGC

The IRGC is currently exerting extreme pressure on Pezeshkian, effectively challenging his authority and the Interim Leadership Council’s attempts at de-escalation.

The semi-official Fars news agency, which has close ties to the IRGC, has continued to carry defiant statements promising a “prolonged war" and claiming Iran can fight for at least another six months, overriding the President’s calls for diplomacy.

Pezeshkian favours limited strikes on Mossad bases in foreign countries to avoid a total regional war that could collapse the regime. IRGC is pushing for direct, “crushing" strikes on Tel Aviv and major military bases, regardless of the risk of wider escalation.

With Agency Inputs

News explainers Iran Strikes In Bahrain Day After President’s Apology: Decoding Leadership Split After Khamenei

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