New Delhi: Italy has dealt a major blow to America amid the Iran War. The Italian government has denied landing permission to a plane heading towards the Middle East in Sicily. This news has been reported by the local newspaper Corriere della Sera. According to the report, the Italian government has taken this step to distance itself from the Iran war. This is the first time that Giorgio Meloni’s government has taken a decision against the Donald Trump administration. According to the report, not allowing American planes to land in Sicily could impact American military operations in the region, as Sicily holds a strategically important location for missions in the Middle East.
Italy’s action follows Spain’s.
A day earlier, Spain had closed its airspace to US aircraft. Now, Italy has denied landing permission. However, the Italian case is also important because Italy is a NATO member. Italy has significant influence in Europe. Furthermore, its Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, is considered very close to US President Donald Trump. Meloni was the only prominent European leader invited by Trump to the White House during his inauguration. Meloni has served as a shield for Trump on numerous occasions. Therefore, Italy’s stance during the Iran war has dealt a major blow to the US.
Why has Italy made this decision?
Italy has not officially issued a statement on this matter, but this decision is being linked to the recent referendum in Italy. Meloni’s party suffered a landslide defeat in the referendum. The Iran war was cited as one of the reasons for this defeat.
Several polls conducted in the run-up to the referendum revealed that most Italians are angry with Meloni’s friendship with Trump. They fear economic hardship from the Iran war. Italy is scheduled to hold general elections next year, in which Meloni will seek a second term as Prime Minister.
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