Italy plans to send air defence assistance to Gulf countries in response to recent Iranian air strikes, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced on Thursday, highlighting concerns for the safety of Italians and European energy security.
Speaking to RTL 102.5 radio, Meloni said the aid aligns Italy with the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, which have also committed support in the field of defense, particularly air defense systems.
The move is motivated not only by diplomatic considerations but also by the presence of tens of thousands of Italian nationals in the Gulf, along with approximately 2,000 Italian troops stationed in the region. “These are people we want to, and must, protect,” Meloni said, emphasizing the strategic importance of the Gulf for Italy and Europe’s energy supplies.
Meloni also addressed the potential use of U.S. military bases in Italy amid the escalating conflict. She affirmed that Italy is respecting the terms of longstanding bilateral agreements with the United States, dating back to 1954, which cover logistics and non-kinetic operations—activities that do not involve bombing.
She added that any requests for broader use of Italian bases would require government approval and parliamentary oversight, noting that no such requests have been received. “As of today, however, we have received no such requests. We are not at war and we do not want to enter a war,” Meloni said.
