Iran targets Italy over US air-base access as NATO tensions escalate

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi singled out Italy and Romania on Thursday for permitting American military operations from their territory, according to the Jerusalem Post. The accusation came as a senior Iranian commander demanded Israel withdraw from Lebanon, escalating rhetoric across multiple fronts in the region. The threat to Italy underscores the diplomatic costs Rome faces as a NATO member aligned with Washington's Middle East posture.

The Iranian statement arrived at a moment of heightened coordination among European powers. Leaders of Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom and Poland—the so-called E5 group—met in Berlin on Wednesday to reaffirm their commitment to strengthening NATO's European pillar ahead of next month's alliance summit in Ankara, according to Politico. Italy's inclusion in the E5 coordination signals its central role in European defence strategy, even as it becomes a direct target of Iranian pressure over its military infrastructure.