(Adnkronos) – Italy is not at war and does to intend to go to war “with anyone”, foreign minister Antonio Tajani said Thursday in the lower house of parliament, where he reported to MPs on the widening conflict in the Middle East since the United States and Israel began strikes on Iran last weekend, triggering retaliatory attacks by Iran on US allies in the Gulf and elsewhere in the region.
“I want to underline in this chamber that Italy is not at war with anyone and will not be at war with anyone,”Tajani said.
“The essence of our foreign policy is to talk to everyone without ever renouncing our values,” he added.
“The government will keep working closely with European partners, with whom it is in constant contact, and with regional actors, to ease tensions, prevent further escalation of the conflict and support any initiative that could help de-escalate the situation,” Tajani went on.
Italy’s premier Giorgia Meloni said on Thursday that the government would send air-defence systems to Gulf countries that have been attacked by Iran.
“Like the UK, France and Germany, Italy intends to send aid to the Gulf countries,” Meloni told RTL 102.5 radio.
The Gulf states are “friends” of Italy, are crucial for energy supplies and there are tens of thousands of Italians in the region and around 2,000 Italian troops that must be protected, Meloni said.
