Disclosure of Secret Italy-US Cooperation in Operations Against Iran

Mark Rutte's Revelation and Operation 'Epic Fury' On June 24, 2026, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, in a controversial interview with Fox News, revealed the hidden dimensions of cooperation between European countries and the United States during the military operation known as 'Epic Fury' against Iran. Rutte disclosed that, contrary to the public claims of Rome officials, the Italian government provided its military bases to American forces [1]. According to him, approximately 500 US military aircraft used bases located on Italian soil to support strikes against Iranian targets [3]. This disclosure indicates that a total of between 4,000 and 5,000 flight missions were conducted from European bases to support this operation [4].

Rome's Denial and the Rift Between Government and Military Immediately following the publication of these remarks, Giorgia Meloni's government faced a severe political crisis. Guido Crosetto, the Italian Defense Minister, issued a sharp statement calling the NATO Secretary General's remarks 'completely wrong' and 'misleading' [2]. The Italian Ministry of Defense emphasized that Rome only authorized 'logistical and technical non-combat' flights in accordance with bilateral treaties and rejected any requests for offensive operations [4]. However, analysts believe this contradiction between Rutte's statements and Rome's officials indicates a hidden cooperation that the Italian government has tried to keep secret to avoid public anger and diplomatic consequences [3].

Tehran's Reaction: Rome's International Responsibility Officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran quickly reacted to these reports. Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, stated in a message that providing territory for aggression against another country is considered an act of aggression itself according to UN General Assembly Resolution 3314 [5]. He emphasized that this disclosure would entail international responsibility for the governments of Italy and Romania [1]. Tehran has demanded an immediate and official clarification from the Italian government, especially as the two countries had recently begun talks to reduce tensions [5].

Crisis in Parliament and Domestic Pressure Inside Italy, opposition parties have accused the Meloni government of lying to Parliament and the public. Angelo Bonelli, a representative of the Green Party, emphasized that Meloni must immediately appear in Parliament to explain these contradictions [1]. This controversy occurs while relations between Meloni and US President Donald Trump have also become strained due to Trump's criticism of Europe's lack of sufficient support for the war [2]. The disclosure of this secret cooperation could severely weaken Meloni's political position on the eve of the midterm elections and upcoming NATO summits [3].