Iran Accuses NATO Of Complicity After Mark Rutte Says US Planes Took Off From Italy

Iran accused NATO of complicity in the US-Israeli war against Iran after NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said European allies had made their bases available for the operation, with Rutte telling Fox News that “Five hundred US planes took off from US bases in Italy to support Epic Fury.”

“Since the beginning of the US-Israel war on Iran, President Donald Trump has been critical of his European allies for not supporting the military campaign against Tehran”

Al Jazeera

The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei condemned Rutte’s remarks as “a clear and damning admission of Nato’s active complicity in an unlawful war of aggression against a sovereign UN Member State,” framing the dispute as evidence of NATO’s involvement.

Al Jazeera

Tehran also escalated the diplomatic pressure by calling for explanations from Italy and Romania, with the Iranian Foreign Ministry saying NATO and the member states involved “must be held accountable for all the consequences” of their actions.

In parallel, the Il Sole 24 ORE account described tensions between Rome and Tehran after Rutte’s comments about “500 US aircraft taking off from Italian bases bound for Iran,” and it reported that Antonio Tajani spoke with Abbas Araghchi to address the controversy.

The dispute unfolded against a wider backdrop of UN maritime steps, with the International Maritime Organisation temporarily suspending the Hormuz evacuation plan after an attack in the Gulf of Oman on a vessel that had just passed through the maritime corridor.

Italy rejected the interpretation of Rutte’s remarks, with its defence ministry saying the comments gave “a completely misleading message by confusing the type of flights that were authorised.”

The Il Sole 24 ORE report said Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani assured that “Italia has never taken part in any military initiative and has never authorised the use of its bases for acts of war against Iran,” while also describing Rome’s irritation toward Rutte.

Il Sole 24 ORE

Iran’s response emphasized what it called direct involvement, with Esmaeil Baghaei arguing that Rutte’s acknowledgment of support from Italy and Romania served as evidence of NATO’s direct involvement in a military campaign against a sovereign state.

In the same dispute, Rutte said Romania “cut down on commercial air flights and airplanes because they had to use the airports for the tanker facilities” during the Iran war, according to the accounts carried by multiple outlets.

As the diplomatic exchange intensified, the Il Sole 24 ORE report also quoted Mark Rutte saying “Italia has done what is required under its bilateral treaties with the United States, and nothing more,” while noting that the controversy showed no sign of abating in Rome.

The dispute is set to play out ahead of a NATO summit in Ankara on July 7–8, with the Il Sole 24 ORE report noting that irritation in Rome over Rutte’s comments showed no sign of abating as consultations continued.

“Güneşli Friday, June 26, 2026 Iran’s Foreign Ministry has accused NATO of being directly involved in the recent US-Israeli war on Iran, escalating diplomatic tensions between Tehran and the Western military alliance ahead of an upcoming NATO summit”

İlke Haber Ajansı

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei used the language of “active complicity” and “unlawful war of aggression,” writing that NATO’s role amounted to “active complicity” in what Tehran described as an unlawful attack on a sovereign UN member state.

The Il Sole 24 ORE account also tied the controversy to US pressure, reporting that Rutte’s remarks came after comments about “500 US aircraft taking off from Italian bases bound for Iran,” and it described Oman’s reassurance that “There will be no tolls in Hormuz.”

Meanwhile, the International Maritime Organisation’s Arsenio Dominguez said the Hormuz evacuation plan was suspended “to verify that the necessary safety conditions are still in place,” after an attack in the Gulf of Oman on a vessel that had just passed through the maritime corridor.

With NATO’s 32 member states scheduled to meet in Ankara and Iran demanding an “explicit and official denial” from Italy, the sources portray a widening diplomatic confrontation over European infrastructure support and the legal framing of the conflict.