Italy says no Hormuz mission underway despite naval movements

The Italian defense minister said Monday that no mission in the Strait of Hormuz was currently underway, despite reports of naval movements in the region, ANSA news agency reported.

“It’s one thing to bring the ships closer together and another to direct them directly towards Hormuz,” Guido Crosetto told ANSA.

Crosetto said that any deployment directly linked to the Strait of Hormuz would require “approval of a new mission,” including “a truce, then a legal framework, and finally parliamentary authorization.”

He said discussions on the issue would begin in parliament on Wednesday.

Crosetto added that moving ships closer to the region would not amount to a Hormuz mission, but could instead form part of existing operations.

The comments came amid discussions among European countries over maritime security in and around the Strait of Hormuz following tensions in the Middle East.

The US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, triggering retaliation from Tehran against Israel as well as US allies in the Gulf, along with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

A ceasefire took effect on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement. The truce was later extended by US President Donald Trump without a set deadline.

On Sunday, Iran sent Pakistan its response to a US proposal for ending the war, but Trump dismissed it as "totally unacceptable."