Italian Defense Minister: Attack on Iran Violates International Law

The Italian political scene has been dominated by discussion of the consequences of US and Israeli strikes on Iran. Defense Minister Guido Crosetto directly assessed these actions as contrary to international law. This is one of the strongest positions taken by a government member of a NATO country since the beginning of the current crisis. Crosetto explained that US military installations on Italian territory remain under strict control, and the Roman parliament would have to give direct consent for their use in any offensive operations. At the same time, the minister compared Italy's situation to Spain's, criticizing commentators for unjustifiably portraying Prime Minister Sanchez as the sole defender of sovereignty in Europe. Defense relations between Italy and the US are based on agreements from 1951 and 1954, which define the status of bases such as Sigonella as shared, not extraterritorial, installations, giving Rome the right to oversee their operational use.Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, after several days of sparingly commenting on the situation, delivered a clear message, assuring that the Italian Republic does not seek armed confrontation. The government in Rome is focusing on supportive and defensive actions. As part of these initiatives, Italy has sent ships to the Cyprus area and declared it will deliver air defense systems to allied Persian Gulf states. Meloni also held consultations with French President Emmanuel Macron, emphasizing the need for a solidary European response to prevent destabilization of the entire Mediterranean basin. The Italian Constitution in Article 11 states that Italy rejects war as an instrument of offense against the freedom of other peoples and as a means of settling international disputes, which limits the government's freedom to engage in conflicts without a UN or NATO mandate.Domestically, however, pressure from the opposition is growing. Five Star Movement leader Giuseppe Conte and Democratic Party leader Elly Schlein accuse the Prime Minister of avoiding parliamentary debate on such a crucial issue. It was finally announced that the head of government will present an official position in the Chamber of Deputies on March 11. The atmosphere was heated by an unfortunate statement from Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who confused nations and called on Israeli citizens to change their government, when his appeal concerned Iranians. This incident, although quickly corrected, became a weapon for government critics, pointing to a lack of professionalism in the face of the threat of global conflict. „L'attacco di Usa e Israele all'Iran ha ovviamente violato chiaramente il diritto internazionale.” (The attack by the US and Israel on Iran has obviously clearly violated international law.) — Italian Defense Minister„No estamos en guerra y no queremos entrar.” (We are not at war and we do not want to enter.) — Italian Prime Minister