Tajani made the comments in an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera after a recent attack involving an Italian fighter jet and amid Houthi statements that the group was not at war with Italy, Anadolu Agency reported.
His remarks followed a Houthi strike on Taif airbase in Saudi Arabia that reportedly damaged an Italian F-2000 Eurofighter aircraft stationed at the facility.
***
Tajani said the EU’s Aspides mission was established as a defensive operation to protect merchant vessels traveling through the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb from potential Houthi attacks.
Italy will continue supporting the mission amid what Tajani described as a worsening security situation in the strategic waterway, while urging EU member states to renew and reinforce the operation.
“We have a strong strategic interest: 40% of Italy’s entire commercial maritime traffic and 60% of the goods we export to Asia pass through the Red Sea,” Tajani said.
The comments come amid a series of missile and drone attacks attributed to the Houthis in and around Saudi Arabia, as regional tensions continue to rise.
Tajani said Italy had been encouraging other countries for several months to contribute to Aspides, either by providing additional naval vessels or helping cover the mission’s costs.
“I will do so again next week in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly,” he said.
The foreign minister is expected to discuss the mission during an EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting, a G7 foreign ministers’ meeting and a gathering of the Rome Coalition for Food Security on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
He said the coalition, launched by Italy and Croatia, would also address freedom and safety of navigation.
Tajani also said he planned to meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss an agreement on raw materials and securing critical mineral supplies.
The proposed agreement would include the “Pax Silica” initiative, which focuses on critical minerals including rare earth elements.
On the conflict in Iran, Tajani said Italy did not support the war and favored a peaceful resolution. He added that he planned to meet Iran’s foreign minister in New York despite Rome’s criticism of Tehran, particularly over its nuclear program.
Tajani also expressed support for European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s proposal to make Canada an associated country of the EU, describing Canada as a strategic European partner as well as a NATO and G7 member.
He said his speech to the UN General Assembly would focus on cybersecurity, hybrid threats and artificial intelligence.
