Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Friday condemned what she described as an “unjustifiable missile attack” against NATO ally Türkiye after Turkish authorities intercepted a ballistic missile launched from Iran.
Meloni expressed solidarity with Türkiye during a phone call with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as the two leaders discussed escalating tensions in the Middle East, the Italian prime minister’s office said in a statement.
According to the statement, Meloni conveyed Italy’s support for Türkiye following the incident and reiterated Rome’s concern over developments that risk further destabilizing the region.
The missile, fired from Iran on Wednesday and passing through Iraqi and Syrian airspace, was intercepted and neutralized by NATO air and missile defense units deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean, according to the Defense Ministry. No injuries were reported.
Following the missile incident, several organizations and states condemned the attack and voiced solidarity with Türkiye, including NATO, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Spain, the UAE, Albania, Belgium and Pakistan.
Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, on Thursday denied that Tehran had targeted Türkiye with a missile and said Iran has no reason to attack its neighbor, stressing that relations between the two countries remain strong.
