Meloni says relationship with Trump 'unchanged' by criticism,
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said her relationship with Donald Trump remained intact after the two leaders met at the G7 summit in Evian on Tuesday, telling a press conference that there had been no recriminations between them.
"Our relationship is unchanged — there were no recriminations, nor did we dwell on what happened. We are both leaders who defend our national interests with determination," she said. "In the end, each of us understands the other's point of view."
The meeting was their first face-to-face since relations between the two cooled earlier this year, after Trump made critical remarks about the Italian premier. Diplomatic sources had described Monday's encounter as a "clarification meeting", conducted without jokes or banter, according to Today.it.
Asked by European Council president Antonio Costa at the summit whether she and Trump were friends again, Meloni replied: "We always were." Trump, who was nearby, quipped that he had felt "abandoned."
Italy's World Cup absence 'costing economy more than €570 million'
Italy missing the football World Cup for the third consecutive time has cost the country more than €570 million in potential economic activity, according to estimates from business association Unimpresa.
Bars and restaurants could have seen an estimated €330 million in takings, while some €95 million was lost in projected TV advertising revenue.
Italy's football federation, the Federcalcio (FIGC), faced direct losses of around €50 million, including a forfeited FIFA participation fee and sponsor penalties triggered by non-qualification.
"The absence of Italy from the 2026 World Cup has interrupted an economic supply chain that cuts across multiple sectors," said Unimpresa president Paolo Longobardi, describing the impact as "far beyond the perimeter of football."
Italy to reopen Tehran embassy on Friday after three-month closure
The Italian ambassador will return to Tehran "with all our diplomats and foreign ministry officials,", foreign minister Antonio Tajani told parliament on Wednesday as he announced the embassy's reopening, AFP reported.
"In a complex region like the Middle East, caution is essential. But, for the first time, after weeks of war and faltering negotiations, a tangible glimmer of peace is emerging," he said.
After the US and Israel began air strikes on Iran, Italy in early March decided to temporarily close its embassy and move its staff to neighbouring Azerbaijan for security reasons.
The reopening follows a framework deal agreed this week between the US and Iran to end the Middle East war, which is due to be formally signed in Switzerland on Friday.
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