Italian president calls for end to ‘permanent state of war’ in Mideast

Italian President Sergio Mattarella on Wednesday called for an end to a "permanent state of war" in the Middle East, ANSA News Agency reported, citing sources at the Quirinale Palace.

During a phone call with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Mattarella said attacks targeting troops serving in the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were "unacceptable."

Mattarella also underlined the importance of respecting freedom of navigation in international waters.

Regional tensions have escalated since 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."