BRUSSELS - Italy will not take part in a naval mission in the Hormuz Strait, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Monday, emphasizing that diplomatic efforts should take precedence in addressing the current tensions in the region.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a meeting in Brussels, Tajani stressed that diplomacy must prevail in dealing with the situation in the Hormuz Strait. He reiterated that Italy's approach is oriented toward diplomatic resolution rather than military deployment.
Tajani also clarified Italy's existing naval commitments. He said the country is involved in defensive naval missions in the Red Sea, but that there are no active missions which could be extended or repurposed to operate in the Hormuz Strait. In his description, this absence of an extendable mission means Italy is not in a position to participate in a new naval deployment to those waters.
The minister's comments came after an appeal by US President Donald Trump requesting allied support for a mission intended to safeguard shipping routes through the Hormuz Strait. Tajani's public statement makes clear that, at least for now, Italy prefers diplomatic channels to any naval involvement linked to that appeal.
The position outlined by Tajani indicates Rome's current stance: engage through diplomacy while maintaining existing defensive naval roles elsewhere, and refrain from committing forces to operations in the Hormuz Strait absent an existing mission that could be extended.
Contextual note: The foreign minister delivered these remarks at a Brussels meeting where he spoke with reporters. He contrasted Italy's current Red Sea naval activity with the absence of a deployable mission for the Hormuz Strait, and he directly referenced the US call for allied participation when explaining Italy's decision.