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Spain’s Defence Minister Margarita Robles announced that the country has closed its airspace to U.S. planes involved in attacks on Iran and will not authorize the use of its Morón and Rota military bases for related operations. Robles stated that this position was made clear to the American government from the outset. Foreign Affairs Minister José Manuel Albares added that the decision aims to avoid any action that could "encourage an escalation in this war.”
The US did not immediately comment but President Donald Trump has previously threatened to impose a full trade embargo on Spain over its opposition to the Iran war.
Since the start of the war in late February, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has been one of the most vocal opponents of the US and Israeli attacks on Iran, describing them as "reckless" and "illegal".
Earlier in March, Sánchez said Spain had denied the US use of the two jointly run military bases at Rota and Morón, both in Andalusia.
Last Wednesday, he also announced that "all flight plans that involved actions related to the operation in Iran were rejected - every single one of them, including those of refuelling aircraft."
"We are a sovereign country that does not wish to take part in illegal wars," he said.
Some US bombers involved in operations in Iran are stationed at the RAF Fairford base in Gloucestershire in the UK, after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced on 1 March that the UK had agreed to the request from the US.
Planes taking off from there will be forced to bypass much of the Iberian peninsula - either by flying over the eastern Atlantic or France.
Spanish newspaper El País reported that aircraft would only be able to transit through Spain's airspace or land at the bases in case of emergency.
In a 10-minute televised address on 4 March, the Spanish prime minister reflected on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, as well as the Iraq War more than 20 years ago, and said the Spanish government's position could be summed up as "no to war".
Later in March, the Iranian embassy in Spain said Tehran would be receptive to requests from Madrid concerning transit through the Strait of Hormuz because Spain was "committed to international law".
