Italian Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani Denies Negotiations with Iran on Passage in the Strait of Hormuz

JAKARTA - Italian Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani has denied media reports that Rome is negotiating with Tehran to secure safe passage for Italian ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

On Friday, the Financial Times, as quoted by Antara, reported that European countries, including France and Italy, were negotiating with Iran to secure safe routes for their ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

According to a Financial Times source, Rome is trying to start negotiations with Tehran on this issue.

"This is absolutely not true. We are not negotiating with anyone, we are not negotiating with Iran about the traffic of Italian ships through the Strait of Hormuz," Tajani said on the Rete4 television station on Friday.

He explained that this attitude was taken, especially considering the ongoing military conflict in the region.

The minister added that Italy continues to work to encourage de-escalation in the region.

Italian newspaper Stampa, citing several EU sources, reported that the EU has always kept diplomatic communication lines open with Iran, even during the current most difficult period.

However, according to some sources, this is not the right time to conduct bilateral negotiations.

Several newspaper sources advocated a firm initiative led by the UN to ensure the smooth flow of traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.

On February 28, the United States and Israel launched an attack on a number of targets in Iran, including in Tehran, causing damage and casualties among civilians.

Iran responded by launching retaliatory attacks on Israeli territory and US military facilities in the Middle East.

Escalating tensions around Iran have led to a de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the main route for oil and liquefied natural gas shipments from Persian Gulf countries to global markets.

The blockade has also affected the export and production levels of oil in the region.