Italy will deploy air-defence assistance to Gulf nations affected by Iranian retaliatory strikes, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni confirmed on Thursday, citing the need to protect Italian citizens and strategic energy interests in the region.
Speaking in an interview with RTL 102.5, Meloni said Italy would join partners such as the United Kingdom, France, and Germany in providing defensive support to countries in the Gulf.
“We are clearly talking about defence, air defence,” she said, stressing that the decision was motivated not only by diplomatic ties but also by the presence of tens of thousands of Italians and approximately 2,000 Italian troops stationed in the area. She added that the Gulf region remains crucial to Italy and Europe’s energy supplies.
Defence Minister Guido Crosetto told parliament that Italy, alongside France, Spain, and the Netherlands, would also dispatch naval assets in the coming days to bolster the security of Cyprus, an EU member state.
Crosetto specified that the military assistance to Gulf nations would consist of air-defence systems, including anti-drone and anti-missile capabilities. He further revealed that Italy has heightened its domestic air and missile defence readiness to maximum levels in coordination with NATO.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told lawmakers that several strategic Gulf countries had formally requested Italy’s help to strengthen their air-defence systems against threats originating from Iran. He noted that the foreign ministry has so far assisted around 10,000 Italians in leaving high-risk areas.
Addressing concerns over the possible involvement of US military facilities in Italy, Meloni clarified that the three American bases currently have authorization only for non-bombing operations. Any expansion of their role, she said, would require approval from her government and likely parliament.
“As of today, we have received no such request,” she stated, a position later reaffirmed by Crosetto before parliament.
