Quds force commander demands Israel leave Lebanon as Iran's deputy FM threatens Italy, Romania

Lead

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds force commander Esmail Qaani on Thursday threatened Israel, stating that it must withdraw from Lebanon or be forced to retreat in defeat, as reported by the Jerusalem Post.

In a social media post, Qaani wrote, "You Zionists must leave all of Lebanon. This land is the arena of resistance and steadfastness, not a playground for occupiers."

Separately, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi blamed Italy and Romania for allowing the United States to use their air bases in its attacks on Iran.

Coverage comparison

The Jerusalem Post reported Qaani's threat and Gharibabadi's statement, emphasizing Iran's accusations against Italy and Romania. The report also noted Italy's denial of NATO chief's claim regarding Iran attacks, with Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto stating that Italy had authorized only technical and logistical flights.

TASS — English reported on Iran's embassy in Italy statement, which accused NATO of violating international law. The embassy's statement, carried by TASS, said that NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte's remarks constituted an acknowledgment of a violation of international law and that the bloc and its members should be held accountable for crimes against the Iranian people.

Key claims

According to Jerusalem Post, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi stated on X/Twitter that "The statements of the NATO Secretary General regarding the use by the United States of Italian and Romanian bases in an attack on Iran give rise to the international responsibility of these countries." He cited General Assembly Resolution 3314, saying that providing territory for use by another state to carry out aggression constitutes an act of aggression.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, speaking to Fox News television, cited Italy as an example of European support for the US and said 500 US planes had taken off from US bases in Italy to support "Epic Fury," Washington's name for the war it launched alongside Israel, as reported by Jerusalem Post.

Italy pushed back against Rutte's remarks on Wednesday, saying that Rome had authorized only technical and logistical flights, according to Jerusalem Post. Italy hosts about 120 US military facilities, including the Sigonella naval air station in Sicily and the Aviano air base in northern Italy.

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said in a statement that Italy had acted in full compliance with its constitution, international treaties, and agreements governing allied bases on its soil, and had authorized exclusively technical and logistical, non-kinetic activities, as reported by Jerusalem Post.

Iran's embassy in Italy said in an X statement, as carried by TASS, that "The NATO secretary general directly named Italy and Romania as countries that collaborated in the US military aggression against Iran. These countries, as well as any other European nation that contributed to the aggression against Iran by the US and the Zionists, must now explain to their own citizens and to the world why they chose to become accomplices to aggressors and to aid serious crimes against the Iranian people" in several Iranian cities and towns.

The embassy's statement also mentioned that Italian authorities later clarified that NATO's support concerned only technical and logistical support operations stipulated by bilateral agreements and did not involve participation in hostilities.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei noted, according to TASS, that the NATO chief's admission of cooperation with the US and the Zionist regime in their attack on Iran highlighted the organization's involvement in military aggression against a UN member state, describing it as "a flagrant violation of peremptory norms of international law and the core principles of the UN Charter."