Amid the ongoing conflict between the US, Israel and Iran, Spain announced on Monday (local time) that it was closing its airspace to several US aircraft involved in the attacks, Reuters reported.
The development reiterates Spain’s stance on the ongoing war and its previous denial of the use of jointly operated military bases. Speaking to reporters, Madrid’s Defense Minister Margarita Robles said: “We do not allow the use of military bases or the use of airspace for actions related to the war in Iran.”
The Spanish newspaper El País, citing military sources, first reported on the closure of the airspace. It also noted that since Spanish airspace is closed to US aircraft en route to the Middle East, they will now have to bypass Madrid; however, this does not include extraordinary events.
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Spain denies taking part in the war
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has given a fairly clear stance on the war in the past few weeks. Commenting on how this latest decision by Madrid could affect US-Spanish relations, its Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo noted that the decision to close the airspace is in line with the government’s previous decision not to participate in or contribute to the war, which it says is against international law.
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Sanchez, a Western critic of the US-Israel war in Iran
Sánchez has been one of the most vocal opponents of the Iran war, calling it reckless and illegal. Earlier this month, he denied Washington the use of two jointly operated military bases in Moron and Rota, both in Andalusia, angering US President Donald Trump, who has previously warned against imposing a full trade embargo on Spain over its opposition to the Iran war.
Last week, Iran used Sanchez’s anti-war remarks about its missiles to Israel. The stickers, which carried his message in both English and Persian, said: “Of course this war is not only illegal but also inhumane. Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister.”
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Earlier in a national address, Sanchez also condemned the strikes, calling them “unjustifiable” and “dangerous”. Moreover, in a televised speech, he very clearly declared his country’s position on the war.
According to a BBC report on March 25, he further stated that every proposed flight plan linked to the Iranian operation, including those involving refueling aircraft, had been rejected without exception.
Sánchez, who also attended a summit in Brussels earlier this month, reiterated his country’s stance. Speaking to reporters, Sánchez called the war “illegal” and said Madrid was against it, adding that the conflict had caused significant damage to civilians and civilian infrastructure.
Europe denies meddling in the war
While Iran used Sanchez’s remarks about its munitions, the European Union also denied meddling in the war. Days after Trump appealed to allies to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which was closed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), European Union leaders said it was a US problem that needed to be solved. Luxembourg’s deputy prime minister, who hit out at the Trump administration for first starting a war and then blackmail, has made it clear that his blackmail will not budge.
Read also | EU states reject Trump’s call to send warships to Strait of Hormuz
