Rome, Italy. Italy said it has worked with European partners, the G7 and multilateral organisations to promote a cessation of hostilities in the war between Iran and the United States and to ensure the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Italy’s position on the Strait of Hormuz
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Italy has expressed willingness, once the conflict has ended, to take part in an international defensive coalition aimed at restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
He told a parliamentary committee that a blockade of the strait would represent a global shock affecting energy security, industrial competitiveness and international economic balances, with particular implications for exporting countries such as Italy, where exports account for around 40% of GDP.
Trade, energy, and export risks
Tajani said the Strait of Hormuz is a strategic hub of global trade, with around 20% of global oil, a quarter of liquefied natural gas exports, and a significant share of raw materials essential to international supply chains passing through it.
He said insecurity of trade routes and rising energy prices have begun to affect European households and businesses. He added that, despite a slowdown in global trade and the impact of tariffs, Italian exports in 2025 still grew by 3.3%, underscoring the importance of stable maritime routes to the national economy.
Concerns about food security and vulnerable countries
Tajani said concerns extend beyond domestic industry to potential consequences for fragile countries in Africa and the wider Mediterranean region. He said around 30% of global fertiliser exports pass through the Strait of Hormuz and are essential for food security in vulnerable economies.
He cited Sudan, where he said one of the world’s most serious humanitarian crises continues, and warned that rising energy and fertiliser prices could reduce agricultural production, fuel inflation, and worsen instability, famine and migratory flows towards Europe.
Rome Coalition for Food Security and Access to Fertilisers
Tajani said that at the beginning of May, Italy convened a meeting together with Croatia, the current President of the MED9, inviting thirty countries from the Mediterranean, the Middle East and the Balkans, as well as the FAO, to launch the ‘Rome Coalition for Food Security and Access to Fertilisers’ as a permanent forum to identify immediate and concrete solutions.
Diplomacy and Iran-related concerns
Tajani said Italy assesses the Hormuz crisis as reflecting a broader conflict rooted in decades of tensions between the United States, Israel and Iran, and reiterated that diplomacy remains the only viable path. He said Italy maintains that Tehran must not acquire nuclear weapons or missile systems capable of further destabilising the region.
He also referred to the repression of youth protests in Iran and said repression continues through arrests and capital executions against opponents. He said Tehran has in recent weeks indiscriminately struck residential areas, hotels, hospitals and energy infrastructure in several Gulf countries, and that Italy condemned the attacks and expressed solidarity with the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Saudi Arabia.
Contacts with the United States and talks in Pakistan
Tajani said he has maintained constant contact with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, whom he met in Rome in recent days, and that they agreed on the need to preserve the transatlantic bond and work jointly for international peace and stability.
He also said he confirmed support for ongoing negotiations in Pakistan, which Italy considers essential to keeping a diplomatic perspective open.
How do you think a disruption in the Strait of Hormuz could affect your household or business?
