Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni arrives in Qatar for unannounced talks, aiming to bolster relations and show support against Iranian attacks amid regional conflict.
DOHA: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni arrived in Qatar on Saturday for an unannounced working visit.
Her trip follows a visit to Saudi Arabia, where she met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
According to the Qatari press agency QNA, Meloni was welcomed by State Minister for Foreign Affairs Mohammed al-Khulaifi and Italy’s ambassador.
An Italian government source said the trip aims to strengthen relations and repeat Italy’s support against Iranian attacks.
The source described the Gulf as a “crucial source of oil and gas for Italy,” which is highly dependent on energy imports.
Meloni is the first EU or NATO leader to travel to the Gulf since the war broke out on February 28.
That conflict began with US-Israeli attacks that killed Iran’s supreme leader.
The far-right prime minister is one of the European leaders closest to US President Donald Trump.
However, she has insisted Italy does not want to join the war effort.
Trump has urged other countries to help secure the vital Strait of Hormuz, which has been all but closed since the war began.