Italy calls for 'dialogue' on Iran crisis following G7 talks
Italy said on Sunday it would collaborate closely with G7 partners to prevent the conflict pitting Iran against the United States and Israel from escalating for the sake of regional stability and trade.
"We are working together with our G7 partners to prevent the conflict from escalating," Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on X, adding that a widening of the conflict "could compromise regional security and stability, as well as the freedom of trade in an area that is crucial for our exports."
The Forza Italia leader said that eliminating Iran's nuclear threat remained a “priority" and Italy would "support the Iranian people in their aspiration for freedom".
However, he noted that Rome would “continue to promote dialogue” in order to reach “peace and stability in the Middle East".
The US and Israel launched a massive wave of strikes on Iran on Saturday, which killed Tehran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran has since carried out retaliatory missile attacks on US allies in the region, including Gulf states hosting US bases.
Italian minister stranded in Dubai returns to Italy on military aircraft
Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto returned to Italy on Sunday after a series of Iranian strikes launched in retaliation against US and Israeli attacks left him stranded in Dubai.
Crosetto, who had travelled to Dubai on Friday for a private visit, was stuck in the UAE city after Iran struck targets across the Gulf region on Saturday.
The minister said on Sunday that he was returning to Italy “on a military plane," noting that he would pay for the flight himself.
"I will obviously return alone to avoid endangering people who, by travelling with me in the current conditions, could be put at risk," he added.
Following heavy domestic criticism of his decision to travel to Dubai for personal matters, Crosetto said that a missile attack on Dubai "was not considered among the scenarios for an Iranian response,” adding that during last year's US and Israeli strikes on Tehran, there was no retaliation against the UAE.
UK to award Italy’s Leonardo £1 billion military helicopter contract
The UK government is set to award Italian defence company Leonardo a £1 billion (€1.14 billion) contract to build a new fleet of military helicopters, a source close to the matter told AFP.
The deal, which includes the construction of 23 medium-lift support helicopters, is expected to help secure hundreds of jobs at Britain's last military helicopter manufacturing site in Yeovil, southwest England.
The future of the site, which employs roughly 3,000 people, was called into question after Leonardo signalled the prospect of closure if the contract did not go ahead.
The Unite union said the agreement represented a "tremendous victory" for workers and the wider sector.
Leonardo was the only bidder left in the running for the much-delayed contract after Airbus and Lockheed Martin both withdrew, according to press reports.
The Yeovil manufacturing site was built in 1915 to support the war effort during World War I.
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