Italy Denies US Use of Sicily Airbase for Iran War Weapons Transport
Italy has officially denied the United States military permission to use an airbase in Sicily for aircraft transporting weapons intended for the war in Iran. This decision stems from the US failing to adhere to the required authorisation procedures under international agreements.
Authorisation Procedure Breach Leads to Denial
According to a source within the Italian defence ministry, the US sought authorisation for "some US bombers" to land at Sigonella airbase—one of seven US navy bases in Italy—only after the aircraft were already en route to Sicily. This late request did not allow sufficient time for parliamentary approval, which is mandated by treaty for aircraft landing on naval bases with weapons.
The source confirmed that, as a result, Italy refused the use of the base. Under treaties established in the late 1950s, US navy bases in Italy can be utilised for logistical and training purposes but cannot serve as transit hubs for war weapon transport unless in emergency situations.
Government and International Reactions
The office of Italy's far-right prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, issued a statement denying that this move has caused "critical issues or frictions" with international partners. It emphasised that relations with the US remain "solid and based on full and loyal cooperation." The statement added that Italy is "acting in full compliance with existing international agreements" and parliamentary procedures, with each request "carefully examined on a case-by-case basis."
This incident occurs amid rising tensions between the US and some European nations. For instance, Spain recently closed its airspace to US aircraft involved in attacks on Iran, and former US President Donald Trump criticised France for being "VERY UNHELPFUL" after it refused overflight permissions for planes carrying military supplies to Israel.
Domestic Political and Public Sentiment
In Italy, where there is a deep-rooted anti-war culture, opinion polls consistently show strong opposition to the conflict and significant dislike towards Trump. This unpopularity has begun to affect Prime Minister Meloni's popularity, as she is ideologically aligned with Trump and has established good working relations with him.
Opposition parties have been urging the government for weeks to block US use of Italian bases for involvement in the Middle East conflict. Giuseppe Conte, leader of the Five Star Movement, stated that Italy had "a duty" to deny access to Sigonella and should now "take a further step" by denying logistical support at all bases, arguing the US-Israeli conflict violates international law.
Meloni's Stance and Regional Concerns
Earlier this month, Meloni strongly criticised US-Israeli military strikes, telling parliament they represent a dangerous trend of interventions "outside the scope of international law." However, she also expressed concerns about Iran's nuclear and missile capabilities threatening Italy and Europe. Meloni has repeatedly stated that Italy will not enter the war, though it has provided defensive assets to Gulf countries.
In Sicily, anger has been growing due to increased activity at Sigonella base since the conflict began. This was exacerbated when the US navy shared a photo on Instagram showing a military helicopter landing at the Unesco-listed Madonie natural park near Palermo during a training exercise. Nuccio Di Paola, a Five Star Movement politician in Sicily, asserted, "Sicily does not want and will not contribute to any war. Sicily is a land of peace and must remain so... we cannot allow Sicilians to be put at risk because of our country's subservience to other countries."
