Premier Giorgia Meloni has said Italy's possible involvement in an international mission in the Strait of Hormuz would only take place once the Iran war is over and so it would not regard a military mission aiming to unblock the crucial oil chokepoint.
On Thursday Downing Street issued a document saying that the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the Netherlands had voiced willingness to take part in an operation to guarantee commercial navigation in the Strait.
"I want to be clear because I feel like there have been some somewhat forced interpretations," Meloni said at the European Council overnight.
"No one is considering of an Italian mission to force the blockade of the Strait.
"What we're asking ourselves is, when the conditions are right, reasonably-speaking in a post-conflict phase, how we can offer a contribution, in agreement with the parties, to defend freedom of navigation".
