Meloni of Italy sends defense equipment to Gulf countries
The Italian Prime Minister announced that Rome will provide air defense equipment to Gulf countries to counter potential attacks from Iran. At the same time, she described the US and Israeli war against Iran as part of a dangerous trend of interventions outside the framework of international law.
Giorgia Meloni, the Prime Minister of Italy, announced in her speech to the country’s parliament on Wednesday, March 10, that Rome intends to provide air defense equipment to Gulf countries to enable them to defend themselves against attacks from Tehran.
She explained that this decision is not only due to Italy’s strategic relations with these countries but also relates to the presence of a large number of Italian citizens in the region. According to Meloni, tens of thousands of Italian citizens are present in that area, and we must protect them. She also stated that about two thousand Italian soldiers are currently stationed in the Gulf.
Meloni also described the US and Israeli war against Iran as part of a growing and dangerous trend of interventions outside the framework of international law. However, she emphasized that the consequences of this war, although tragic, are not comparable to the dangers that might arise if Iran’s alleged nuclear program is ignored.
She said we cannot tolerate a regime of Ayatollahs equipped with nuclear weapons, especially if this capability is accompanied by missile capacity that might soon be able to directly target Italy and Europe. Meloni also referred to the Ukraine war, adding that in a situation where threats in the international system are increasing and unilateral interventions outside the framework of international law have become more frequent, the actions of the US and Israel against the Iranian government should also be evaluated in this context.
The war between the US, Israel, and Iran has now entered its twelfth day, and air conflicts continue in parts of the Middle East. These conflicts have disrupted the transit of about one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas, which passes through the Strait of Hormuz.
In another part of her speech, the Italian Prime Minister strongly condemned the deadly missile attack on a school in Minab on the first day of the war and called for clarification of the responsibility for this attack. Iran blames the US and Israel for these attacks and claims that 165 people were killed. According to the Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers’ Unions, at least 108 of the victims were schoolchildren.
