Tajani responds to Iran war remarks by Trump.
Italy’s deputy premier and foreign minister Antonio Tajani has rejected claims by US president Donald Trump that European allies played no role in the conflict with Iran, insisting that Europe and Italy have fulfilled their responsibilities – even while making clear that the war was never theirs to fight.
The exchange came on Friday morning after Trump told Italian-American journalist Daniele Compatangelo of La7 television, in a telephone conversation broadcast during the programme Omnibus, that the G7 and Europe had been “irrelevant” and that the US had won the war against Iran alone.
“We won the war” – Trump said – “We didn’t need their help.”
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Tajani responded on the sidelines of a conference of Italian consuls at the foreign ministry in Rome. “It wasn’t a war we participated in, nor were we supposed to participate in it”, he said.
“We are doing our part. Europe is present, and Italy is present to ensure maritime traffic in the Red Sea” – Tajani added – “We are present, we are doing our part, but we were not, are not, and will not be, at war with Iran”.
Evolving situation
The remarks came against the backdrop of a fast-moving diplomatic situation.
Trump had declared on Thurrsday that the US would strike Iran “very hard” again, but later said he was cancelling the strikes as negotiators had made “a great settlement” with Iran.
However, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said reports of an agreement were “speculative” and that “nothing has been finalised”.
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