(Adnkronos) – Italy will not enter the United States-Israel-Iran conflict, which it did not seek and is “completely extraneous” to. But the government vows to de-escalate the conflict, end attacks on military bases and energy infrastructure and ensure merchant vessels transit the Strait of Hormuz oil conduit safely “once the war is over”, foreign minister Antonio Tajani said on Friday.
“This is is a war we did not want, to which we are completely extraneous and do not intend to take part in,” Tajani told private TV network Canale 5’s morning news programme Mattino Cinque.
“On Thursday, we made a crucial contribution to the European Union in sending a strong message to bring about a moratorium on attacks on bases, on oil extraction centres or on gas export terminals,” he said.
He referred to a joint statement by the leaders of Italy, Germany, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Japan strongly condemning recent attacks by Iran on unarmed commercial ships in the Gulf and on civilian infrastructure including oil and gas installations and its closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
“It is a message aimed at restoring greater calm, and we are committed to de-escalation,” Tajani said.
“Europe is starting to want to play a leading role by committing itself, alongside Italy, through the document it has signed with other countries, to guaranteeing maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz once the war is over,” Tajani underlined.
