"The aim is to prevent the crisis from spreading, but I think nothing can improve if Iran does not end its totally unjustified attacks against the Gulf countries," Meloni said in an interview with the TG5 television news channel.

Italy, like other European nations, has started evacuating hundreds of its nationals out of Dubai and other Gulf cities since the United States and Israel launched hostilities against Iran, which has since attacked several Gulf states.

"We cannot allow the current Iranian regime to have long range missiles and nuclear warheads," Meloni said.

But the prime minister said she was "worried" by a "crisis in international law" that could be a consequence of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"I am worried by the general context, a crisis of international law that is inevitably the result of the war in Ukraine when a (UN) Security Council member deliberately attacks a neighbour," Meloni said.

"It was inevitable that this would cause a season of chaos," she added.