Bahrain Mirror: Italy has loosened restrictions on arms exports to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Reuters reported government sources saying yesterday, in a move aimed at easing diplomatic tensions with the two Gulf states.

Italy halted the sale of thousands of missiles to Saudi Arabia and the UAE in January, citing at the time Rome's commitment to restoring peace in war-ravaged Yemen and protecting human rights.

That ban will remain in place, but a foreign ministry directive seen by Reuters said that other curbs introduced in 2019, which effectively blocked any sales of arms and equipment that might be used in Yemen, will now be lifted, the Middle East Monitor website stated.

"All existing authorizations are to be considered valid even without this requirement," said the brief directive that was signed on Monday.

"We are now returning to a normal [export] regime. The weapons can potentially be used in Yemen," said Michele Nones, deputy president of the Italian Foreign Affairs Institute (IAI).

A source at the foreign ministry said the arms licenses revoked in January, including the sale of some 12,700 missiles, would remain blocked.

Export requirements to the two Gulf states were tightened two years ago following public anger over the war, which triggered what the United Nations has called the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Infuriated by the ban, the UAE asked Italy to withdraw aircraft and personnel from the al Minhad air base in the Gulf state by 2 July.

Italian media reported that Italian companies were worried they would lose civilian contracts as a result of the row.

Arabic Version