Investing.com — Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced on Saturday that Tehran’s leadership has approved a suspension of offensive missile strikes on its neighbors, in a potential de-escalation of the regional conflict that has upended global energy markets.

The directive, sanctioned by the temporary leadership council, stipulates that Iran will cease attacks on neighboring nations provided no strikes against the Islamic Republic originate from their territories.

The "no-first-strike" policy marks a significant shift for Tehran, which has been locked in a direct military confrontation with U.S. and Israeli forces following February’s escalations. The region has been on a hair-trigger for a week, with the IRGC launching retaliatory attacks on neighboring countries and Israel.

Pezeshkian’s statement appears designed to signal regional neighbors, particularly those hosting U.S. bases, that they will not be targeted if they remain neutral. An explosion was heard over Doha in Qatar shortly after the announcement. It remains unclear whether the Iranian army was unaware of the recent change.

The war has already severely damaged Iran’s domestic infrastructure, and the move may be a bid to gain the "breathing room" necessary to repair vital energy facilities and manage internal economic dissent caused by the ongoing "oil shock."