NATO Secretary General: Europe Supported US Operations in War Against Iran

Confirmation of Broad European Support for Operation 'Epic Fury'

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, in an interview with Fox News published on June 24, 2026, revealed new details regarding the participation of European allies in the United States military operation against Iran, known as 'Epic Fury.' In this conversation, Rutte emphasized that contrary to some criticisms regarding a lack of cooperation from allies, European countries placed their bases at the disposal of US forces [1].

He specifically pointed to Italy's role, stating that approximately 500 US military aircraft took off from bases on Italian soil to support operations against Iran. Rutte also praised Romania for restricting its commercial flights to open airspace for NATO refueling tankers, describing the European continent as a 'power platform' for US operations [1][3].

Italy's Firm Denial and the Rift Within NATO

Immediately after the publication of Rutte's remarks, the Italian government reacted strongly. The Italian Ministry of Defense issued a statement calling the Secretary General's comments 'misleading' and emphasized that Rome had only authorized 'non-kinetic logistical and technical' activities [3]. Guido Crosetto, the Italian Defense Minister, clarified that no direct offensive operations were conducted from Italian territory against Iran and that all cooperation remained within the framework of previous bilateral agreements [5].

This disagreement highlights the intense political sensitivities in Europe regarding Middle East conflicts. While US President Donald Trump, in his second term, has repeatedly criticized NATO allies for what he calls 'insufficient support' in the Iran war, European leaders are attempting to balance their commitments to NATO with domestic public pressure [2][4].

Tehran's Sharp Reaction: NATO is an Accomplice

In Tehran, the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs quickly responded to Mark Rutte's words. Esmaeil Baghaei, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, described these statements as a 'clear confession of active complicity by NATO in an illegal war' [2]. In a message on the social network X, Baghaei wrote that NATO and the member states that provided their bases to the US must accept responsibility for all consequences of this 'military aggression' [4].

Iranian officials emphasized that using European infrastructure to attack cities such as Tehran, Isfahan, and Bandar Abbas is a clear violation of the United Nations Charter and international law. These tensions occur as reports emerge of progress in indirect negotiations to reach a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to end the conflicts [4][5].

The Heavy Shadow of Trump's Policies on the Upcoming Ankara Summit

Rutte's remarks come just weeks before the NATO summit in Ankara (July 2026). Donald Trump, who recently met with the NATO Secretary General at the White House, continues to insist on increasing the defense budgets of allies to 5% of GDP [5]. Analysts believe that by revealing the extent of European cooperation, Rutte sought to reduce the intensity of Trump's criticism and emphasize transatlantic solidarity, but this action has effectively ignited internal debates in European countries and increased tensions with Tehran [1][3].