«Italy is not at war with anyone and will not be at war with anyone. The essence of our foreign policy is to talk to everyone without ever giving up our values. This is the meaning of government action in the Middle East and on the most important international stages. This is the commitment we renew today before the country.” This was stated by vice-premier and foreign minister Antonio Tajani, reporting yesterday to the Chamber, together with the defense minister Guido Crosetto, on the ongoing war, triggered by the attack of the United States and Israel on Iran.
«We remain convinced that the diplomatic path», underlined Tajani, «however complex, is the only one capable of producing lasting results, even when it appears fragile, even when it seems distant. We will make all possible efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East.”
One of the topics addressed: the situation of Italians who find themselves in the Middle East. The vice-premier spoke of the task force in the Gulf dedicated to assisting compatriots, created at the Farnesina Crisis Unit: the task force «To date it has managed over 14,000 calls and several thousand email contacts. The Italians we have already helped to leave the risk areas have reached around 10,000.” And in the next few days other flights are scheduled for the repatriation of other Italians. Among the citizens who have already returned, with a flight made available by the Emirati authorities, there are also the 200 students who were in Dubai.
Italy, therefore, is not at war. Minister Crosetto also reiterated this in his speech. «Italy is trying to manage and mitigate, in close agreement with friendly nations, the consequences of this conflict. Because this conflict is worrying and disruptive.”
The House and Senate gave the green light to the resolution presented by the majority on government communications regarding the situation in Iran and the Gulf and in particular three themes: military security, European cooperation and the use of military bases present in Italy. The resolution “commits the Government to participate with national structures in the common effort within the European Union to support, if requested, EU member states in the defense of their territory from missile or drone attacks by Iran”.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni did not show up to report to Parliament, a decision that sparked criticism from the opposition. In a radio interview with Rtl 102.5, however, the prime minister spoke out «concerned meanwhile by an increasingly evident crisis of international law, of multilateral bodies, which is generating a world increasingly governed by chaos». He added concern for «Iran’s disjointed reaction, which is essentially bombing all countries, including those that had supported an Iranian nuclear deal. And clearly this entails the risk of an escalation, which can have totally unpredictable consequences”, including on Italy.
