Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday chaired a new high-level meeting at Palazzo Chigi to assess the impact of the Middle East crisis on Italy’s security and economy, government sources said.
The following ministers attended the meeting: Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto, Cabinet Secretary Alfredo Mantovano and undersecretary Giovanbattista Fazzolari, along with the heads of Italy’s intelligence agencies. Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini joined via video link.
Energy security in focus
The talks followed a separate meeting on Tuesday between Meloni and the chief executives of energy groups Eni and Snam, Claudio Descalzi and Agostino Scornajenchi, respectively.
According to Palazzo Chigi, discussions centred on energy security and the potential effects of the conflict involving Iran on global markets and fuel prices. Ministers and company executives analysed current trends and possible future scenarios, as well as short- and medium-term measures the government could adopt to mitigate economic fallout.
Italy, which remains heavily dependent on energy imports, is particularly exposed to volatility in oil and gas markets. The Strait of Hormuz and the wider Gulf region are strategic corridors for global energy flows, and any escalation risks disrupting supply chains and increasing costs for households and businesses.
Concerns over widening Middle East crisis
In an interview with Tg5 aired on Monday, Meloni described the Iran war as “a cause of great concern” in what she called a broader crisis in international law that began with the war in Ukraine.
“When a member of the United Nations Security Council deliberately attacked its neighbour, it was inevitable that it would lead to a season of chaos,” she said, referring to Russia’s 2022 invasion.
Meloni urged Iran to halt what she described as “unjustified” attacks in the Gulf and warned that the crisis must not spread further. “Nothing can get better if Iran does not stop its attacks on the Gulf countries,” she said.
The prime minister added that the government was working to assist thousands of Italians currently in the region, particularly in Gulf states. “We are in contact with those countries, we are in contact with our European partners,” she said. She further stressed that preventing further escalation remains a priority.
Speaking separately at the presentation of Italy’s annual intelligence report, Mantovano said the United States had not requested the use of Italian military bases for operations against Iran.
He added that the government was evaluating requests from Persian Gulf countries for defence systems, as part of broader consultations with international partners.
