Iran accuses Italy and Romania of war complicity after NATO chief describes US operations

Iran's accusation

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei took to X on 25 June to accuse Italy and Romania of direct involvement in the US-Israeli war against Iran. He cited comments by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte during a Fox News interview the previous day.

Italy and Romania are explicitly mentioned by the NATO Secretary General as participants in the aggression against Iran.

Baghaei demanded that those nations, along with all European states that supported the campaign, explain to their citizens and the world why they chose to collude in "mass atrocities" against Iranian cities including Tehran, Isfahan, Tabriz, Shiraz, Bandar Abbas, and others. He added that NATO and its member states must bear responsibility for all consequences of the "illegal war of aggression."

NATO chief's remarks

During the 24 June interview, Rutte revealed that 500 American planes took off from US bases in Italy to support operation 'Epic Fury', the joint US-Israeli military action launched on 28 February. He also stated that Bucharest airport reduced commercial flights to accommodate refueling aircraft, and that between 4,000 and 5,000 US military flights operated from European bases during the conflict.

Baghaei called Rutte's statements "a clear and overwhelming admission of NATO's active complicity in an illegal war of aggression against a sovereign member state of the United Nations."

Romania rejects claims

Romania's Ministry of Foreign Affairs promptly denied any combat role, emphasizing that the country was not a party to the conflict.

We reiterate that Romania was not a party to this conflict, the priority of our country being the constant support of diplomatic efforts aimed at regional de-escalation and achieving a climate of peace and security in the Middle East.

The ministry explained that the decision to allow US forces on Romanian territory stemmed from existing bilateral agreements and a March parliamentary vote requested by President Nicușor Dan. It insisted all actions were in line with the UN Charter and international law.

Italy pushes back

Italy also pushed back against the portrayal. The Ministry of Defense in Rome condemned Rutte's comments, stating they conveyed a "completely misleading message" since Italy had only permitted US use of its bases for technical and logistic flights, not combat missions. The government stressed that its support fell strictly within existing defense arrangements and did not involve direct participation in hostilities.

Background

The exchange comes more than four months into the conflict triggered by the February 28 launch of 'Epic Fury', the American-Israeli military campaign in Iran. The operation has drawn widespread condemnation from Tehran and its allies, which characterize it as an illegal aggression. While European NATO members have provided logistical and basing support, they have consistently denied taking part in combat operations.