Italy calls for 'immediate return to negotiations'
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her solidarity with Qatar following the Iranian attack on its territory and called for a return to the negotiating table.
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The attack by Iran today on a US airbase in Qatar, in retaliation for the US strike yesterday on 3 of Iran's nuclear facilities, has drawn a reaction from Italy.
Prime Minister Meloni stated in a post on the X platform, "On behalf of the Italian government, I would like to express my sincere solidarity with Qatar due to the Iranian attack that took place on its territory in the last few hours."
Meloni noted that she has been in constant contact with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, since the crisis in the region deepened, stating, "We all agree that political dialogue, which could offer a perspective of peace and stability to the region, must be restarted and that there must be an immediate return to the negotiating table."
Meanwhile, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto also announced in a written statement released via the Ministry's social media platforms that all Italian soldiers serving in Iraq, Kuwait, and Qatar have implemented all prescribed security procedures, including preventive relocation to safe zones where necessary.
The statement noted the following:
"These attacks are being evaluated within the scope of operational scenarios that Defense Ministry experts have been working on in recent days, and the precautionary repositioning of Italian troops in the relevant regions had already been decided. As of today, all personnel are safe, and no problems or negative incidents have been recorded regarding our soldiers participating in international missions."