Rome: The Italian foreign minister has rejected recent remarks by the Secretary General of NATO regarding the alleged use of US military bases in Italy for military operations against Iran. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani made the remarks in a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, on Thursday evening.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, during the call, Tajani firmly rejected recent remarks by the Secretary General of NATO regarding the alleged use of US military bases in Italy for military operations against Iran. The Italian foreign minister stressed that no Italian military base had been used in any attack on Iran and that no such action would be permitted in the future.

He further stated that the US aircraft involved in bombing operations against Iran did not take off from the Italian territory and that the Italian government had never authorized such operations. Araghchi welcomed the phone call and the clarification provided by his Italian counterpart, while emphasizing the need for the Italian government to issue an explicit and official denial of the claims.

In reaction to the NATO secretary general's claim, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said NATO must be held to account for its complicity in the US-Israeli attacks against Iran.