Italy will uphold US base agreements, but not enter war: PM Meloni
Giorgia Meloni says Italy has not received any request to use bases for military action against Iran, warning of potential regional escalation and economic impacts for her country.
Italy will continue to respect existing bilateral agreements governing the use of US military bases on its territory, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has said.
Speaking on an RTL radio programme on Thursday, Meloni stressed that Italy has not received any request to use the bases for military action against Iran.
“Today we have no such request and I want to say that we are not at war and we do not want to enter a war,” she said.
Meloni said Italy would follow the terms of long-standing bilateral agreements with the US, dating back to 1954, which allow the use of bases for certain logistical and non-combat operations.
“These are technical authorisations when we are clearly talking about logistics and so-called non-kinetic operations – simply put, operations that do not involve bombing,” she said.
If a broader request were made, such as using Italian bases for combat operations, Meloni said the government would evaluate the situation together with parliament.
The prime minister also warned of the risk of escalation in the region, saying she was concerned about the war and Iran’s reaction.
She said the situation posed “a risk of escalation that could have unpredictable consequences,” adding she was worried about the potential impact on Italy.
Italy, along with the UK, France and Germany, is considering sending defensive support to countries in the Gulf region.
Meloni said the move was aimed at protecting tens of thousands of Italian citizens in the area and about 2,000 Italian troops stationed there. She also described the Gulf as vital for energy supplies.
The prime minister also warned of possible economic consequences from the crisis, saying the government would act to prevent speculation driving up energy and food prices.
She added that authorities were monitoring gas prices and that companies found to be exploiting the situation could face higher taxes.
The US and Israel have continued a large-scale attack on Iran since Saturday, killing 926 people, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and top military officials. Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, as well as Gulf countries that are home to US assets.