Iran criticizes NATO chief over comments on US support in war

Tehran said on Thursday that NATO was involved in the US-Israel war against Iran after NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte spoke about support provided by alliance members.

Speaking to Fox News, Rutte said several NATO allies helped the United States during the conflict. He said hundreds of American aircraft used bases in Italy.

“Country after country, ally after ally after ally, have made their bases available for Epic Fury,” Rutte said.

“Five hundred US planes took off from US bases in Italy to support Epic Fury,” he added, referring to the US operation against Iran.

US President Donald Trump had earlier criticized NATO allies for not supporting the war against Iran. He told Rutte that he was “let down” by alliance members that did not back the conflict.

Rutte also said that Romania reduced commercial flights because airports were needed for tanker aircraft during the war.

Iran strongly reacted to the comments. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei accused NATO of taking part in the conflict.

“This is a clear and damning admission of NATO’s active complicity in an unlawful war of aggression against a sovereign UN Member State,” Baghaei wrote on X.

He also accused NATO of violating international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter.

Italy later distanced itself from Rutte’s comments. The Italian Defence Ministry said his remarks gave “a completely misleading message by confusing the type of flights that were authorised”.

The ministry said Italy only allowed “technical and logistical” US flights under existing agreements with the United States.