Giorgia Meloni condemns 'massacre of girls' in Iran school strike but warns of nuclear threat from Tehran

Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni -- File Photo (AFP)

Italian PM Giorgia Meloni condemned a deadly missile strike on a school in southern Iran, expressed solidarity with victims, called for accountability, stressed Italy’s non-involvement in the conflict, and warned of risks from Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

Did our AI summary help?

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday condemned a deadly missile strike on a school in southern Iran that reportedly killed dozens of girls during the opening phase of the Middle East war. Speaking in the Italian Senate, Meloni expressed solidarity with the victims’ families and called for those responsible for the attack to be identified.

“I express my firm condemnation of the massacre of girls at the school in Minab, southern Iran,” Meloni said. She also voiced support for the families of the victims, referring to them as the “very young victims” of the strike.

Meloni added that she wanted "responsibility for this tragedy be swiftly ascertained."

Iran has accused the United States and Israel of carrying out the missile strike on the first day of the conflict. The incident has become one of the most controversial early episodes of the war.

The United States has not confirmed responsibility. President Donald Trump has blamed Iran for the incident but has also said Washington is investigating the circumstances surrounding the strike. Israel has denied any involvement.

The exact details of the attack remain difficult to verify independently. News agency AFP said it has been unable to access the site of the strike in Minab to confirm the circumstances or the reported death toll. Iranian media have reported that funerals were held for at least 165 victims.

Italy distances itself from the conflict

Meloni also emphasised that Italy is not participating in the war.

Italy, a member of both the European Union and NATO, has closely followed developments in the region but has not joined the military operations.

Meloni told lawmakers that Italy remains outside the conflict and does not want to become involved.

Italy is “not at war and we don't want to enter the war,” she said.

Concerns over Iran’s nuclear ambitions

Despite condemning the strike, Meloni reiterated concerns about Iran’s nuclear programme and the security risks it could pose to Europe.

Trump has said the military campaign against Iran was launched because it represented the “last, best chance” to stop Tehran from developing nuclear weapons.

Meloni said Italy was not directly involved in the negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme and therefore could not fully confirm or reject Washington’s assessment of Tehran’s intentions.

She said Italy could not “definitively corroborate, or to refute, the US assessments regarding Iran's unwillingness to reach a definitive agreement”.

However, Meloni warned that ignoring Iran’s nuclear ambitions would carry serious consequences.

While describing the war as “tragic”, she said the risks of inaction were potentially even greater.

“We know that these consequences are not even comparable to the risks we would run if we turned a blind eye,” she said.

Meloni also argued that Iran acquiring nuclear weapons could pose a direct threat to Europe.

“We cannot afford an ayatollah regime in possession of nuclear weapons, combined, moreover, with a missile capability that could soon be capable of directly striking Italy and Europe,” she said.

Diplomatic efforts and economic concerns

Meloni said Italy is coordinating closely with other European leaders as the war continues to unfold.

However, she suggested that a diplomatic resolution is currently unlikely while the conflict continues.

According to Meloni, it is “impossible” to return to diplomacy while Iran continues retaliatory strikes across the region.

The war has also triggered economic concerns in Europe, particularly due to rising oil and gas prices.

Italy is considering measures to stabilise fuel prices, including a possible reduction in excise duties on fuel.

Meloni also warned companies against taking advantage of the crisis by raising prices excessively.

She said the government was prepared to intervene if necessary and could recover “the proceeds of speculation through increased taxation of the companies responsible”.