If someone starts an ‘apology’ with,
I apologise if…
Is not an apology.
It’s just a person saying:
I recognise that there might be circumstances under which that thing I said or did might deserve an apology.
So it’s meaningless.
Alternatively,
I apologise that…
Normally is an apology.
It’s important to recognise the difference.
(Listen to politicians.
They rarely say the latter).
