Italy urges coordinated diplomacy to bring peace to Middle East

ROME -- Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Monday urged new diplomatic efforts to bring peace in the Middle East, and avoid further escalation after the United States bombed three Iranian nuclear sites.

Speaking to the Italian lower house ahead of a scheduled European Union (EU) Council meeting on June 26, Meloni said that "only coordinated diplomatic action can ensure peace in the region."

"This is why we have so strongly supported the negotiations between the US and Iran ... we hosted two rounds of talks in Rome in recent months," she explained.

"We stand ready to play this part once again," she added.

She confirmed that none of the US aircraft involved in the bombing of Iran had taken off from US military bases in Italy, and that the country had not taken part in the military operation in any way.

The prime minister's address to lawmakers came a day after she held a series of phone calls with international and regional players who could have a diplomatic role in easing the crisis. These comprised leaders from key EU partners such as France, Germany and Britain, as well as Canada, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

"In all conversations, there was shared agreement and the utmost importance placed on the need to work towards a swift resumption of negotiations between the parties," Meloni's office said.

Briefing the deputies, Meloni also reiterated her call on Iran to avoid retaliating against the United States, and seize the chance to strike an agreement with Washington on the Iranian nuclear program.