Summit with Meloni at Palazzo Chigi. The Government: commitment to stability in the Middle East

There are "many Italians in the Emirates, there are 20,000 Italian residents, plus there are many tourists who are stranded in Abu Dhabi" and the local government has assured "total support from the Emirates for our Italians who are stranded at the airport, for our tourists who will be assisted and protected": "so great support and I also want to reassure the families". So said Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani to Rainews24. "We are assisting them with our embassy, with our consulates, there are desks at the airports in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and also in Doha to give all the necessary information to our compatriots whom we invite to stay where they are, whether they are at the airport or at home or in a hotel," Tajani added. "It is better not to go out, this applies to the whole Middle East area because there are serious risks at the moment, so be prudent and stay where you are. Then we will try to make sure that we give all the useful and necessary information to be able to return to Italia as soon as possible as soon as the airspace is reopened," the minister commented.

"I am following developments in the situation in constant contact with the Italian Embassies in Tehran and Tel Aviv," Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on X, referring to the attacks launched by Israel and the US in Iran. "Priority: the safety of our compatriots. At the Farnesina the Crisis Unit is at work. We are also ready to evacuate any Italians who wish to do so, as we did during the war a few months ago," the minister added. Also on X, the Farnesina informs that, for emergencies, it is possible to contact the Embassy of Italia in Tehran at 00989121035062 and the Embassy of Italia in Tel Aviv at 00972548803940. The Crisis Unit can instead be reached at +39 0636225 or by email at unita.crisi@esteri.it.

"The first concern is for our compatriots but no one is involved. There are less than 500 Italians in the country, we are ready to evacuate them to Azerbaijan". Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said this. The contingents in Lebanon, Tajani added in response to a question, "are in safe conditions, it is an area at risk but there are no dangers at the moment, as far as we know. We will see how Iran will react. We are working to ensure the safety of our compatriots in Iran and Israel and also of our militaries in the Middle Eastern bases". As far as Italian interests are concerned, "we are also concerned about the reactions of the Houthis in the Red Sea where, however, there is the Aspide mission to protect the trade routes".

There are over three hundred Italian military personnel in Kuwait, but there are no problems for the contingent deployed, Minister Antonio Tajani remarked at the Farnesina today. "The attack now as far as we understand it is against air force bases, against American bases where there are also Italians," Tajani explained, reassuring however that "in Kuwait where there is the air force, there are over 300 men of the Italian air force, but I also spoke with General Conserva who confirmed that there is no problem. "The air force soldiers who are in the base in Kuwait, which was attacked with missiles from Iran, are all unharmed, they were all in the bunker, there was extensive damage to the runway, but there are no Italian soldiers injured and there are no Italians involved in any military action," the Foreign Minister clarified

"Our first concern is that of our compatriots of course, then we always work for peace hoping for a quick end to this war, but the Iranian reaction already seems to be ready so we are not too optimistic at the moment". Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told SkyTg24.

"If there is still room for diplomacy? It seems difficult to me, it depends on how Iran will react, if there is a counter-attack then the situation is only likely to get worse". This was said by Antonio Tajani, deputy prime minister and foreign minister, speaking on the special edition of Tg1, on the US-Israeli attack on Iran. "Evidently the Iranians did not want to reduce the number of missiles and did not want to give up part of the atomic programme. Clearly the negotiations were not successful," he concludes.

 "For now it seems that Iran is willing to react to the military attack, but the force is really disproportionate. I believe that Iran should find a form of dialogue because with Israel and the United States it is difficult for Iran to contain a military offensive for long," stressed Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, pointing out that Tehran is "in fact also attacking neighbouring countries: they say that the targets are American bases, but then they hit these countries. Luckily there were Patriots in Kuwait that blocked the attack that was very strong against the Italo-American base and it avoided worse, but the runway I repeat was not damaged'.

"The negotiation is between the Americans and the Iranians. I don't know how much Europe can do right now, the game is in the hands of Iran, Israel and the United States. However, we continue to work so that the war can be ended and an agreement can be reached and that Iran gives up its threatening nuclear programme because Iran with an atomic bomb would be very dangerous for the whole territory'. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told SkyTg24.

"In these particularly delicate hours I am following with the utmost attention the evolution of the situation in the Middle East area, in close coordination with the Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the Government and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, who have clearly reiterated the need to favour every diplomatic initiative useful for de-escalation. I am in constant contact with the Defence Ministers of the allied countries, the area and the US Secretary of War, within the framework of an ongoing and responsible dialogue aimed at fully monitoring the ongoing developments'. Thus in a post on X Guido Crosetto, Minister of Defence. "The shared objective is to avoid any spiralisation of the conflict. In fact, it is clear that there are attempts to extend the involvement of further actors: for this very reason international coordination and diplomatic action remain fundamental. Italia continues to support with determination political dialogue," Crosetto continued, "respect for international law and any initiative capable of restoring stability and security to the area, while protecting our compatriots and the national interests and defence personnel deployed in the Middle East". "We are working with a sense of responsibility, balance and unity of action together with our allies and international partners so that the crisis remains contained and the conditions are created for a progressive reduction of tensions. We will continue to monitor the situation with the utmost attention, maintaining a constant commitment to peace, international security and stability in the Middle East,' Crosetto concludes.

'We have just made a call as a government, it is clear that the diplomatic route is always the preferable one'. Thus deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini on the US and Israeli attack on Iran, speaking at a League gazebo in Milan. "If there is on the part of the United States the certainty that the Iranian Islamist regime is getting closer to the atomic bomb....they have decided to intervene. We are following the matter and we are concerned and worried about protecting civilians, starting with the Italians who are in Iran," Salvini added, stressing that "as far as I know we were warned when the attack had begun".

This morning, the Minister of the Interior, Matteo Piantedosi, following a discussion with the Chief of Police, Vittorio Pisani, issued an urgent provision to raise awareness and further strengthen security devices to protect targets deemed to be of priority sensitivity, in particular American and Israeli targets, such as diplomatic and consular offices, religious facilities, and cultural centres. The Viminale's alert, among other things, also concerns the operational emergency response structures on the ground.

Heightened attention from the early hours of the morning on all demonstrations and sensitive targets in Rome, such as embassy premises and the Ghetto, after the US and Israeli attack on Iran. Information activities were also implemented.

"The United States attacks Iran. There is an aggressor and an aggressed. So now I expect Frau von der Leyen to set up a 90 billion fund to give to Tehran. Then I expect the European countries to launch aid in terms of weapons and support for the ayatollahs, and I expect Brussels to launch a sanctions package to bring the US economy to its knees'. So says the leader of Futuro Nazionale, Roberto Vannacci, in a video posted on X. 'The UN will have to intervene, because international law has been violated and then all American athletes and artists will have to be excluded from sports and cultural competitions. Finally, I expect Calenda to visit the Pasdaran to bring them his support,' Vannacci adds.

M5S leader Giuseppe Conte also entrusted his position to social media: 'By dint of being valid up to a certain point, international law no longer applies. By dint of being 'observers' with our hat in our hands, we then become mere spectators, and we end up losing our voice. Italia and Europe stand up against unilateral attacks like those of the US and Israel that are triggering Iran's reaction and throwing the Middle East into unpredictable chaos. No one can sympathise with the regime in Tehran and the way it stifles rights, but this cannot be the way to act: total international disorder in the hands of the aims and interests of a few. Over half the world's population lives in autocratic and illiberal regimes: what do we do, do we export democracy with bombs to all these countries? Or do we do it only in those that, like Iran, have the second largest natural gas reserves in the world, the fourth largest oil reserves? Europe should not play the pretty figure and find a voice to restore strength to politics, to make diplomacy count'.

The general secretary of the CGIL, Maurizio Landini, entrusts his comment to a note: "We express our closeness and solidarity with the Iranian people and all the populations suffering the consequences of war and repression". "We have always stood by the Iranian women and men who - the Confederation leader emphasises - are fighting for democracy, freedom and civil rights. We have been demonstrating in recent years alongside the 'Woman, Life, Freedom' movement and have been campaigning for the release of trade unionists who are victims of repression and violence in Iran." "We reject the unilateral attack by the US and Israel because," Landini continued, "it represents yet another serious violation of international law and risks triggering an escalation at a time when there are far too many open war fronts. To the dead of the ayatollahs' bloodthirsty regime, the victims of this new wicked conflict risk being added. We call for a ceasefire, respect for international law, and a return to diplomacy and negotiation'. The CGIL, Landini concludes, 'will continue to engage with the international trade union for the promotion of multilateralism, dialogue and peace as prerequisites for solidarity and social justice'.

The Prefect of Naples, Michele Di Bari, urgently convened a meeting of the Provincial Committee for Public Order and Safety, in order to examine the various profiles related to the current international context. During the meeting, the Prefecture reported, it was decided to reinforce the surveillance and control measures at the sites deemed sensitive, with the aim of ensuring a constant control of the territory and preventing any critical situations.