Italy denies US used its airbases for strikes on Iran after NATO chief’s feedback | World Information
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Thursday denied claims of ‘energetic utilization’ of Italian airbases by the US for airstrikes on Iran. Meloni mentioned Italy solely supplied the US with technical and logistics help. Talking throughout a Franco-Italian summit in France, Meloni firmly maintained that Italy by no means participated within the conflict between the US and Iran, Politico reported.
Meloni mentioned NATO Secretary-Common Mark Rutte made “deceptive remarks” on Italy’s function within the US-Iran conflict. In an interview with Fox Informationlate on Tuesday, NATO Secretary-Common Mark Rutte had claimed that Italy performed a key function within the US-Iran battle by permitting 500 US plane for strikes on Iran to help operation ‘Epic Fury’.
Italian International Minister talks to Araghchi
Shortly after Meloni’s feedback, Italian International Minister Antonia Tajani dialled Iranian International Minister Abbas Araghchi to make clear Italy’s function. In a publish on X, Tajani shared the small print of his dialog with Araghchi. Tanjani wrote on X: “Italy has by no means taken half in any navy motion towards Iran and by no means authorised using its airbases towards strike on them.”
I spoke with the Iranian International Minister @araghchi. Italy has by no means taken half in any navy initiative and has by no means approved using bases for conflict towards Iran, in strict compliance with the treaties with the USA. I requested that… pic.twitter.com/9LC5ad7r9C
— Antonio Tajani (@Antonio_Tajani) June 25, 2026
Italian Minister of Defence Guido Crosetto additionally shared a quick description of the variety of flights in transit when ‘Operation Epic Fury’ came about. In a publish on X, he mentioned: “The variety of flights in transit at Sigonella and Aviano throughout the Epic Fury interval was far decrease than the variety of flights in transit within the years 2019-2025.”
One of many issues that precipitated probably the most stir in Rutte’s phrases was the variety of flights.
I purposely let individuals chase statements about how excessive the quantity was.
For data functions, the variety of flights transiting Sigonella and Aviano throughout the Epic…— Guido Crosetto (@GuidoCrosetto) June 25, 2026
NATO official clarifies Mark Rutte’s remarks
Italy hosts about 120 US navy amenities together with the Sigonella naval air station in Sicily and the Aviano air base in northern Italy.
Responding to a request for remark by Reutersa NATO official later clarified Mark Rutte had solely pointed to present bilateral agreements below which allies, together with Italy, enable navy basingtechnical and logistical help and overflight preparations.
Iran says ‘such an act thought-about an act of aggression’
Iran’s Deputy International Minister Kazem Gharibabadi mentioned that the statements by NATO chief Rutte suggesting use of Italian and Romanian airbases by the US for strikes on Iran requires introspection of worldwide tasks by these international locations. Sharing a publish on X, he mentioned: “In keeping with Common Meeting Decision 3314, the supply of territory by a state to be used by a 3rd state to hold out aggression towards one other nation is taken into account an act of aggression.”
NATO Secretary Common’s statements concerning the US use of bases in Italy and Romania within the assault on Iran trigger the worldwide duty of those international locations. In keeping with Decision 3314 of the Common Meeting, the supply of territory by a authorities for using a 3rd authorities to commit aggression towards one other nation is taken into account an act of aggression.
— Gharibabadi (@Gharibabadi) June 25, 2026
International Affairs of Iran Esmaeil Baqaeisharing a publish on X, mentioned that Italy and Romania are explicitly named by NATO’s Secretary Common to have participated within the aggression towards Iran.
It is a clear and damning admission of NATO’s energetic complicity in an illegal conflict of aggression towards a sovereign UN Member State — a flagrant violation of peremptory norms of worldwide legislation and the core ideas of the UN Constitution.
The Group and its particular person… pic.twitter.com/q2OPKVrSkM
— Esmaeil Baqaei (@IRIMFA_SPOX) June 25, 2026
Giorgia Meloni’s authorities had beforehand mentioned that solely logistical and technical flights lined by the bilateral treaty governing US navy bases in Italy can be allowed to make use of its airbases to fly to the Center East. Meloni’s authorities has maintained this stance ever because the conflict broke out between the US and Iran.
As per Reuterson April 7, 2026, Italy denied permission for a US navy plane to land on the Sigonella air base in Sicily en path to the Center East. On March 31, ‘some US bombers’ had been as a consequence of land on the base in japanese Sicily earlier than flying on to the Center East. Italy denied permission for touchdown of those aircrafts.
