By Angelo Amante and Giuseppe Fonte
ROME, April 9 (Reuters) – Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Thursday that restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz was of vital interest for her country and the European Union, as she pledged to work with partners to achieve that aim.
Following U.S.- Israeli attacks, Iran restricted traffic through the Strait to pressure its enemies, in a move that drove up energy prices as around a fifth of the world’s oil and gas pass through the narrow waterway.
As part of its proposals to end the war, Tehran wants to charge fees for ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
“If Iran were to succeed in obtaining the authority to apply additional tariffs to transits through the Strait, this could still lead to economic consequences and shifts in trade flows,” Meloni told the lower house of parliament.
“We are already working with the UK-led coalition for the Strait of Hormuz, which includes more than 30 countries, to try to build security conditions that allow for the full restoration of freedom of navigation and supply,” she added.
However, Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said on Wednesday that Italy would not send any ships to patrol the area in the absence of a U.N. mandate.
Meloni condemned all violations of the two-week ceasefire deal agreed between the U.S. and Iran earlier this week.
She also urged Israel to end military operations in Lebanon, and, with opposition parties accusing her of being too close to President Donald Trump, reiterated her opposition to the U.S. decision to attack Iran.
“We have come within a step of the point of no return, but we now face a fragile prospect of peace that must be pursued with determination,” Meloni said.
It was the first time that the Italian leader spoke in parliament since a bruising defeat in a justice reforms referendum two weeks ago that led to some resignations in her government team.
In her roughly one-hour speech, she ruled out any wider cabinet reshuffles and pledged to serve a full parliamentary term, which is scheduled to run until the second half of next year.
(Reporting by Angelo Amante and Giuseppe Fonte; Editing by Alvise Armellini and Kim Coghill)
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