diff --git a/packages/block-editor/src/components/block-list/index.native.js b/packages/block-editor/src/components/block-list/index.native.js
index da367ecc0ebea6..810e23e4c1442a 100644
--- a/packages/block-editor/src/components/block-list/index.native.js
+++ b/packages/block-editor/src/components/block-list/index.native.js
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 /**
  * External dependencies
  */
-import { View, Platform, TouchableWithoutFeedback } from 'react-native';
+import { View, Platform, Pressable } from 'react-native';
 
 /**
  * WordPress dependencies
  */
-import { useRef, useState } from '@wordpress/element';
+import { useRef, useState, useCallback } from '@wordpress/element';
 import { useSelect, useDispatch } from '@wordpress/data';
 import { createBlock } from '@wordpress/blocks';
 import {
@@ -372,20 +372,20 @@ function Footer( {
 	renderFooterAppender,
 	withFooter,
 } ) {
+	const onAddParagraphBlock = useCallback( () => {
+		const paragraphBlock = createBlock( 'core/paragraph' );
+		addBlockToEndOfPost( paragraphBlock );
+	}, [ addBlockToEndOfPost ] );
+
 	if ( ! isReadOnly && withFooter ) {
 		return (
-			<>
-				<TouchableWithoutFeedback
-					accessibilityLabel={ __( 'Add paragraph block' ) }
-					testID={ __( 'Add paragraph block' ) }
-					onPress={ () => {
-						const paragraphBlock = createBlock( 'core/paragraph' );
-						addBlockToEndOfPost( paragraphBlock );
-					} }
-				>
-					<View style={ styles.blockListFooter } />
-				</TouchableWithoutFeedback>
-			</>
+			<Pressable
+				accessibilityLabel={ __( 'Add paragraph block' ) }
+				testID={ __( 'Add paragraph block' ) }
+				onPress={ onAddParagraphBlock }
+			>
+				<View style={ styles.blockListFooter } />
+			</Pressable>
 		);
 	} else if ( renderFooterAppender ) {
 		return <View>{ renderFooterAppender() }</View>;
diff --git a/packages/block-editor/src/components/default-block-appender/index.native.js b/packages/block-editor/src/components/default-block-appender/index.native.js
index dae0750b8e30d4..82ff8b7c8d4029 100644
--- a/packages/block-editor/src/components/default-block-appender/index.native.js
+++ b/packages/block-editor/src/components/default-block-appender/index.native.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /**
  * External dependencies
  */
-import { TouchableWithoutFeedback, View } from 'react-native';
+import { Pressable, View } from 'react-native';
 
 /**
  * WordPress dependencies
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ import BlockInsertionPoint from '../block-list/insertion-point';
 import styles from './style.scss';
 import { store as blockEditorStore } from '../../store';
 
+const hitSlop = { top: 22, bottom: 22, left: 22, right: 22 };
+const noop = () => {};
+
 export function DefaultBlockAppender( {
 	isLocked,
 	isVisible,
@@ -37,22 +40,21 @@ export function DefaultBlockAppender( {
 			? decodeEntities( placeholder )
 			: __( 'Start writing…' );
 
+	const appenderStyles = [
+		styles.blockHolder,
+		showSeparator && containerStyle,
+	];
+
 	return (
-		<TouchableWithoutFeedback onPress={ onAppend }>
-			<View
-				style={ [
-					styles.blockHolder,
-					showSeparator && containerStyle,
-				] }
-				pointerEvents="box-only"
-			>
+		<Pressable onPress={ onAppend } hitSlop={ hitSlop }>
+			<View style={ appenderStyles } pointerEvents="box-only">
 				{ showSeparator ? (
 					<BlockInsertionPoint />
 				) : (
-					<RichText placeholder={ value } onChange={ () => {} } />
+					<RichText placeholder={ value } onChange={ noop } />
 				) }
 			</View>
-		</TouchableWithoutFeedback>
+		</Pressable>
 	);
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/react-native-aztec/src/AztecInputState.js b/packages/react-native-aztec/src/AztecInputState.js
index 8a1737118d1d13..5f0a1dd7596284 100644
--- a/packages/react-native-aztec/src/AztecInputState.js
+++ b/packages/react-native-aztec/src/AztecInputState.js
@@ -116,6 +116,15 @@ export const notifyInputChange = () => {
 	}
 };
 
+/**
+ * Sets the current focused element ref held within TextInputState.
+ *
+ * @param {RefObject} element Element to be set as the focused element.
+ */
+export const focusInput = ( element ) => {
+	TextInputState.focusInput( element );
+};
+
 /**
  * Focuses the specified element.
  *
diff --git a/packages/react-native-aztec/src/AztecView.js b/packages/react-native-aztec/src/AztecView.js
index 4d90d13974c8ec..e05737f5fb0f99 100644
--- a/packages/react-native-aztec/src/AztecView.js
+++ b/packages/react-native-aztec/src/AztecView.js
@@ -237,14 +237,49 @@ class AztecView extends Component {
 	}
 
 	_onAztecFocus( event ) {
-		// IMPORTANT: the onFocus events from Aztec are thrown away on Android as these are handled by onPress() in the upper level.
-		// It's necessary to do this otherwise onFocus may be set by `{...otherProps}` and thus the onPress + onFocus
-		// combination generate an infinite loop as described in https://github.com/wordpress-mobile/gutenberg-mobile/issues/302
-		// For iOS, this is necessary to let the system know when Aztec was focused programatically.
-		if ( Platform.OS === 'ios' ) {
+		// IMPORTANT: This function serves two purposes:
+		//
+		// Android: This intentional no-op function prevents focus loops originating
+		// when the native Aztec module programmatically focuses the instance. The
+		// no-op is explicitly passed as an `onFocus` prop to avoid future prop
+		// spreading from inadvertently introducing focus loops. The user-facing
+		// focus of the element is handled by `onPress` instead.
+		//
+		// See: https://github.com/wordpress-mobile/gutenberg-mobile/issues/302
+		//
+		// iOS: Programmatic focus from the native Aztec module is required to
+		// ensure the React-based `TextStateInput` ref is properly set when focus
+		// is *returned* to an instance, e.g. dismissing a bottom sheet. If the ref
+		// is not updated, attempts to dismiss the keyboard via the `ToolbarButton`
+		// will fail.
+		//
+		// See: https://github.com/wordpress-mobile/gutenberg-mobile/issues/702
+		if (
+			// The Android keyboard is, likely erroneously, already dismissed in the
+			// contexts where programmatic focus may be required on iOS.
+			//
+			// - https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues/28748
+			// - https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues/29048
+			// - https://github.com/wordpress-mobile/WordPress-Android/issues/16167
+			Platform.OS === 'ios'
+		) {
 			this.updateCaretData( event );
 
-			this._onPress( event );
+			if ( ! this.isFocused() ) {
+				// Programmatically swapping input focus creates an infinite loop if the
+				// user taps a different input in between the programmatic focus and
+				// the resulting update to the React Native TextInputState focused element
+				// ref. To mitigate this, the below updates the focused element ref, but
+				// does not call the native focus methods.
+				//
+				// See: https://github.com/wordpress-mobile/WordPress-iOS/issues/18783
+				AztecInputState.focusInput( this.aztecViewRef.current );
+
+				// Calling _onFocus is needed to trigger provided onFocus callbacks
+				// which are needed to prevent undesired results like having a focused
+				// TextInput when another element has the focus.
+				this._onFocus( event );
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -285,9 +320,7 @@ class AztecView extends Component {
 					onBackspace={ this.props.onKeyDown && this._onBackspace }
 					onKeyDown={ this.props.onKeyDown && this._onKeyDown }
 					deleteEnter={ this.props.deleteEnter }
-					// IMPORTANT: the onFocus events are thrown away as these are handled by onPress() in the upper level.
-					// It's necessary to do this otherwise onFocus may be set by `{...otherProps}` and thus the onPress + onFocus
-					// combination generate an infinite loop as described in https://github.com/wordpress-mobile/gutenberg-mobile/issues/302
+					// IMPORTANT: Do not remove the `onFocus` prop, see `_onAztecFocus`
 					onFocus={ this._onAztecFocus }
 					onBlur={ this._onBlur }
 					ref={ this.aztecViewRef }
diff --git a/packages/react-native-editor/CHANGELOG.md b/packages/react-native-editor/CHANGELOG.md
index 4ddfda16c8c78d..e757ad02bd62d5 100644
--- a/packages/react-native-editor/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/packages/react-native-editor/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ For each user feature we should also add a importance categorization label  to i
 
 ## Unreleased
 
+## 1.100.2
+-   [**] Fix iOS Focus loop for RichText components [#53217]
+
 ## 1.100.1
 -   [**] Add WP hook for registering non-core blocks [#52791]