NATO Won’t Join Iran Conflict Despite Backing U.S.–Israel Strikes – Rutte

Mark Rutte has praised recent military actions by the United States and Israel against Iran, saying the strikes are weakening Tehran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

Speaking in Brussels, the NATO chief said the operations were helping to limit Iran’s military capabilities, particularly its nuclear and missile programs, which Western allies have long viewed as a major security concern. 

However, Rutte made it clear that North Atlantic Treaty Organization as an alliance would not directly participate in the conflict. Instead, any involvement would come from individual member countries acting on their own decisions. 

His comments come amid rising tensions in the Middle East following a series of strikes by the United States and Israel targeting Iranian military and nuclear-related facilities.

“It’s really important what the U.S. is doing here, together with Israel, because it is taking out, degrading the capacity of Iran to get its hands on nuclear capability, the ballistic missile capability,” he told Germany’s ARD television in Brussels.

“There are absolutely no plans whatever for NATO to get dragged into this or being part of it, other than individual allies doing what they can to enable what the Americans are doing together with Israel,” he added.