The US strike on Iranian nuclear sites caused Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to convene an emergency meeting with the necessary ministers, Undersecretary Alfredo Mantovano, and intelligence officials. The discussion focused on assessing the damage done to Iranian facilities and the potential consequences of the situation, ranging from the safety of Italian nationals in the region to the economic and geopolitical implications. According to Palazzo Chigi, Italy will persist in its efforts to encourage the parties to resume negotiations. Following the summit, Meloni spoke by phone with numerous international leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and the current G7 president, Canadian Mark Carney. The prime minister also engaged in discussions with significant regional figures, such as the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, the President of the Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed, and the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. Everyone agreed that diplomatic channels needed to be reopened as soon as possible to prevent the crisis from escalating. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani also reacted to the developments, describing the attack as "a hard blow to Iran's ability to develop nuclear weapons", but also expressing hope for a de-escalation and a return to diplomacy. "Italy," he stated, "is doing its part to prevent the situation from worsening". Tajani also announced the organization of special flights to evacuate Italian residents from high-risk areas: a flight will depart from Sharm el Sheikh on Sunday to repatriate Italians from Israel, with further departures from Tehran planned in the coming days. An estimated 50,000 Italians, including 2,500 military personnel, are currently residing in the Middle East. Defense Minister Guido Crosetto emphasized that the American attack "completely alters the scenario" in the Middle East, thereby initiating a phase of broader crisis. Tajani revealed that the raid "was expected", as evidenced by various operational requests, such as the movement of Italian soldiers from a base near Baghdad. "It's time to let diplomacy prevail", he emphasized. During an interview with Tg5, Tajani perceived the American initiative as "a sign of strength" by President Trump, which was intended to compel Tehran to negotiate directly with Washington without intermediaries. In conclusion, he cautioned against the possibility of Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz: "It would be a self-destructive act that would further isolate Iran and worsen its international position".
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