Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei accused NATO of active cooperation in the "illegal war of aggression" against Iran, responding to NATO chief Mark Rutte's Fox News comments on U.S. aircraft operating from allied bases during Operation Epic Fury.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei on Thursday accused NATO of active collaboration in what he called the "illegal war of aggression" launched by the U.S. and Israel against Iran, directly responding to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte's remarks on Fox News.
Rutte told Fox on Wednesday that 500 U.S. military aircraft took off from American bases in Italy to support Operation Epic Fury against Iran, and that between 4,000 and 5,000 U.S. aircraft launched from European bases during the campaign. He also disclosed that Bucharest Airport had reduced commercial flights to make room for refueling planes. Rutte's comments contradicted a claim by President Trump that Italy denied landing rights for U.S. aircraft during operations against Iran.
Baghaei wrote on X that Rutte's statements were "a clear and unequivocal admission of NATO's active collaboration in the illegal war of aggression against a sovereign UN member state." He specifically named Italy and Romania as participants in the "aggression against Iran" and called on European states that supported the operation to explain to their peoples why they chose to take part in what he described as "a blatant act and the commission of mass atrocities against the Iranian people."
Italy's Defense Minister Guido Crosetto rebuked Rutte on Wednesday, asserting that Rome had only authorized technical and logistical flights, not combat missions—sharpening a dispute over the level of allied support for the U.S.-led campaign. As The Zioneer reported, the exchange highlights ongoing friction within NATO regarding transparency over contributions to operations against Iran.
- DevelopingIran demands prosecution of NATO member states over war participation
- StrongNATO chief Rutte: 500 US aircraft launched from Italian bases to back 'Epic Fury' operation
- DevelopingNATO chief acknowledges allied disappointment over US access during Iran war
- DevelopingNATO chief: Trump doing 'exactly what needs to be done' on Iran
Source and signal
- Internal intake