Iran warns it will strike European bases if US attacks from Italian soil

Ahmad Bakhshayesh Ardestani, a member of Iran's parliament security committee, warned on Wednesday that Iranian missiles would strike European bases if the United States launches attacks from allied territory, according to Euronews. He named Italy and Germany as specific targets, signalling that Iran views NATO installations on European soil as legitimate targets in any confrontation with Washington.

The threat marks a direct escalation in rhetoric aimed at the continent and places Italy in a delicate position. The country hosts significant US military infrastructure, including air bases that have been central to American operations in the Middle East. State-run Iranian media suggested that any new confrontation could reach "the heart of Europe," framing the conflict not as a distant regional matter but as a threat to the continent itself.

The warning comes amid broader tensions between Iran and Western powers and reflects Tehran's strategy of deterrence through explicit threats to NATO allies. Italy, as a G7 member and NATO partner with deep ties to Washington, becomes a focal point in this calculation—caught between alliance obligations and the security risks that proximity to US military power can entail.