Sharp shift in tone: Meloni criticizes Trump’s operation in Iran
Photo: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (Getty Images)
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticized the US and Israel’s military operation against Iran, marking a notable shift in her stance, Politico reports.
Not long ago, Meloni had spoken much more cautiously, stating that she could neither condemn nor support the war. However, during a speech in the Italian Parliament in Rome on March 11, she described the conflict as part of a growing trend of interventions "outside the scope of international law."
The outlet explained that the shift in rhetoric came amid domestic political pressure. Strikes on Iran proved unpopular in Italy, where a significant portion of the public opposes the country being drawn into a new Middle East conflict.
An additional factor was the politically sensitive referendum on judicial reform, which is approaching and increasingly seen as a test of support for Meloni’s governing coalition.
The Prime Minister also reacted sharply to reports of a strike on a girls’ school, which killed 168 people. It was noted that the school was damaged due to a US strike on a nearby Iranian naval base.
In doing so, Meloni joined a number of European leaders who have criticized the strikes on Iran to varying degrees, including Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten.
On February 28, the US, together with Israel, launched a military operation against Iran called Epic Fury. In response, Tehran began striking countries in the Middle East, including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Jordan, Azerbaijan, and Türkiye.
Specifically, on March 9, the Turkish Ministry of Defense reported that NATO air defense systems intercepted a ballistic missile fired from Iran that entered Turkish airspace. Its debris fell near the city of Gaziantep, causing no casualties or damage.
Additionally, a British military base in Cyprus was struck, raising concerns among European allies. Meanwhile, the US has stated its intention to intensify attacks on Iran, including targeting facilities related to missile production.
