Italy has criticised comments by Nato chief Mark Rutte on the politically sensitive issue of US forces using bases in Italy during the Iran war, AFP reports.

Responding to President Donald Trump’s criticism of Nato allies for not supporting the US in the Middle East, Rutte tells Fox News that Europe was in fact a “platform of power projection for the United States”.

“Five hundred US planes took off from US bases in Italy to support [Operation] Epic Fury. So this is massive,” Rutte tells the network ahead of an expected meeting with Trump.

He adds that there were between 4,000 and 5,000 sorties by US planes from European bases during the conflict.

Italy’s defence ministry, in a statement, says Rutte’s words gave “a completely misleading message by confusing the type of flights that were authorised”.

It states Italy had allowed only “technical and logistical, non-kinetic” US flights during Epic Fury under existing agreements with the United States.

“On the occasions when a request was put forward that fell outside this scope, as is well known, Italy did not grant authorisation,” the statement adds.