Meloni Calls US and Israel War with Iran Part of 'Dangerous Trend' Outside International Law

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has issued her strongest criticism to date of the American-Israeli military operation against Iran, describing it as part of a growing and dangerous trend of interventions 'outside international law.'

The statement came on Wednesday during a speech before the Italian Senate amid ongoing accusations from the opposition that Meloni's center-right government is taking an overly lenient stance toward its allies. Most European countries, with the exception of Spain, have so far refrained from directly criticizing the actions of the US and Israel, limiting themselves to calls for restraint.

Parallel with Ukraine

Meloni, who maintains close ties with US President Donald Trump, drew a parallel between the Middle East conflict and Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which she said triggered a massive destabilization of the global order.

'It is in this context of a structural crisis in the international system, where threats are becoming increasingly alarming and unilateral interventions outside international law are multiplying, that we must view the American-Israeli intervention against the Iranian regime,' she told senators.

Rome's Ambivalent Stance

However, Meloni's position is not limited to criticism of Washington. The Prime Minister emphasized that Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons, as this would undermine the international non-proliferation regime with 'dramatic consequences for global security' and place Italy and all of Europe under a nuclear threat from Tehran.

Meloni also announced that Rome is sending air defense systems to Persian Gulf countries affected by retaliatory Iranian strikes. 'This is not only because they are friendly nations and strategic partners of Italy, but also because tens of thousands of Italian citizens reside in this region, whom we are obliged to protect, not to mention approximately 2,000 Italian military personnel stationed in the Gulf,' she explained.

Thus, Italy has joined Spain as one of the few European countries to openly question the legality of the military campaign. Meloni's speech came on the 12th day of the conflict, which has paralyzed shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and led to sharp spikes in global oil prices.