An Italian Foreign Ministry statement points out that in the phone call, Al Busaidi briefed Tajani on the results of his recent visit to Tehran, where he met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, as part of Omani mediation efforts to reduce tensions between Iran and the United States.

The Italian minister expressed his gratitude for the role played by Oman in the current situation and expressed his hope that the mediation efforts of that Arab country could lead to de-escalation and open new channels of dialogue, including the nuclear issue, for the benefit of regional security and stability.

Regarding this issue, Tajani met last in Rome with the Italian Ambassador to Tehran, the heads of diplomatic missions in the region, and representatives from the Italian Defense Ministry and intelligence agencies.

During the meeting, the minister emphasized the need to ensure constant monitoring of the evolving regional security situation and highlighted the protection of Italian citizens in Iran as a top priority, while also reiterating his call for them to leave the country.

The meeting also addressed the situation of about 900 members of the Italian Armed Forces deployed in the region, including roughly 500 in Iraq and 400 in Kuwait, and precautionary measures were put in place to protect these military personnel.

The protests in Iran started on December 28 in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, resulting in several injuries and deaths, while Iranian authorities insist they are being instigated from abroad, particularly by the United States and Israel.

jdt/iff/mem/ort