NATO’s Rutte gave confused account of Italy’s involvement in Iran war, Meloni says – POLITICO

ANTIBES, France — Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Thursday accused NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte of giving a muddled account when he described her country as offering "massive" support to U.S.-Israeli attacks against Iran.

Responding to U.S. President Donald Trump's frustrations over whether NATO's European members are pulling their weight, Rutte told Fox News on Wednesday that Rome played a key role in the Iran war by allowing 500 U.S. military aircraft to use Italian air bases.

The interview triggered an immediate political storm for Meloni, with her opponents accusing her of having misled the public when she insisted Italy was staying out of the war and that Rome was allowing only logistical and technical operations at the U.S. bases in Italy.