ROME: Italy, which holds the rotating presidency of the Group of Seven major democracies (G7),
has said that it is open to imposing new sanctions on individuals involved in actions against Israel following the recent Iranian drone and missile attack.
Italy’s foreign minister Antonio Tajani on Monday said that any fresh sanctions would require unanimous support from all G7 members, including Italy, France, Germany, Canada, Japan, Britain, and the United States. He indicated that any new measures would likely target individuals rather than entire nations.
Iran launched drones and missiles attack against Israel over the weekend in retaliation for an attack on its embassy compound in Damascus, raising concerns about the potential escalation of regional conflict amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
Tajani told Reuters, “If we need to impose more sanctions on individuals clearly involved in actions against Israel, such as supporting terrorism or Hamas, it is possible to do so. But we need to approach this matter seriously and work together.”
He characterized the Iranian attack as a “big mistake” for Tehran but noted that it had revealed the effectiveness of Israel’s air defenses, which intercepted most of the drones and missiles with assistance from the US, Britain, France, and Jordan.
The G7 issued a condemnation of the attack on Sunday and urged Tehran to exercise restraint, with the United States cautioning Israel against engaging in a retaliatory offensive.
He said that he had spoken with his Iranian counterpart by phone prior to the attack to advocate for caution. Tajani emphasized the importance of safeguarding Italian personnel operating in the region under the United Nations’ auspices and called for an end to Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea, a critical route for global trade.
Regarding the situation in Gaza, Tajani reiterated Italy’s firm opposition to any Israeli incursion into the southern city of Rafah and reiterated the call for a ceasefire, while urging Hamas to release all Israeli hostages taken during the October 7 attack.
Looking ahead to the upcoming G7 foreign ministers’ meeting on April 17-19 on the Italian island of Capri, Tajani warned that an Israeli strike on Iran would only exacerbate instability in the region.
“We all want to protect Israel, but our goal is to achieve stability and peace,” he concluded
