ROME, June 15 : Italy has said it is prepared to work with international partners to ensure safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz following a US-Iran understanding, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced on Monday.
"We stand ready, together with our partners and without prejudice to the necessary authorisation from Parliament, to contribute to an international naval presence to support the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz," Meloni said in a statement.
Following the announcement of the agreement, France, Germany and the United Kingdom are prepared to lift sanctions against Iran after peace between Tehran and Washington, the Italian prime minister said.
She thanked Qatar and Pakistan for participating in the negotiations as mediators, noting that unique opportunities for peace now exist.
"As in the past, Italy is ready to support the diplomatic process towards a comprehensive agreement. The principles are clear: Iran cannot acquire a nuclear weapon, and freedom of navigation must be guaranteed," Meloni added.
The United States and Iran have reached a major diplomatic breakthrough, with US President Donald Trump announcing on Sunday an agreement aimed at ending more than three months of conflict that disrupted global oil markets and fuelled fears of a wider war in West Asia.
The agreement, expected to be formally signed in Geneva on June 19, follows mediation efforts involving Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Officials involved in the process said negotiations would continue throughout the week ahead of the signing ceremony.
While both Washington and Tehran have confirmed that an agreement has been reached, significant differences remain over its implementation and several key provisions, underscoring the fragile nature of the breakthrough.
The deal envisages the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the continuation of the ceasefire between the United States and Iran, and the launch of fresh negotiations aimed at resolving longstanding disputes over Tehran's nuclear programme.
(UNI)
