Spain said Monday that it has closed its airspace to U.S. aircraft involved in military actions targeting Iran. The decision expands an earlier move to deny the use of jointly operated military bases at Rota and Morón.
Defense Minister Margarita Robles said Monday that Spain would not permit either the bases or the nation’s airspace to be used for operations tied to the U.S. military involvement in Iran.
“We don’t authorize either the use of military bases or the use of airspace for actions related to the war in Iran,” Robles told reporters in Madrid.
The move means U.S. military aircraft headed toward the Middle East will have to avoid Spanish airspace. Emergency situations would remain exempt.
Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said the purpose of the decision was to “not do anything that could encourage an escalation in this war,” while Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said previously 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,” according to the BBC.
“We are a sovereign country that does not wish to take part in illegal wars,” Sánchez said.
The restriction adds another planning consideration for long-range military traffic operating from Europe, including aircraft based at RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom. With Spain unavailable for normal transit, those flights may need to route farther west over the Atlantic or north through French airspace, depending on mission requirements and diplomatic clearances.
President Donald Trump has previously threatened trade action against Spain over its refusal to support the operation.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez should move his family to Tehran and open a Catholic Mission to foster world peace and brotherhood of man.
The attack on Iran, just like the attack on Ukraine by Russian and attack on Gaza by Israel are all war crimes of Aggression. That means OUR SOLDIERS FIGHTING IRAN ARE WAR CRIMINALS. All soldiers should be refusing to fight.
The honorable, law abiding, thing to do, is get our assets out of the middle east and force Israel/Palestine to become one multi ethnic state, with all Palestinians and Israelis as equal citizens of that state. Palestine was a multi ethnic state for centuries before the apartheid plan of Zionism.
My country, the US, Israel (The Jewish citizens) and Russia should pay massive amounts of reparations for our crimes.
The Spanisg Government adheres to the fact that the US action was unilateral and not according to international law. Why should they get involved in a fight started while negociaitons were taking place? All experts agree that the actions Iran is taking after being attacked were to be expected.
Keep dreaming. Its like telling people to not pay their Income Taxes because it was never properly instituted or the Govt does things with your money that is illegal, immoral, etc etc.. While your thinking of Reparations how about stripping Soros or Bezos or Miriam Adelson or the Christian Zionist millionaire/Billionaire preachers who instigated the attack on Iran by the US?
Italy and Spain should be kicked out of NATO, then Trump should get US out of NATO. They need us a helluva lot more than we need them.
What are you smoking? Where were you when Iran held 44 hostages for 445 days? Where were you when Iran bombed 300 soldiers in Marine barricks in Beruit? Where were you when Iran bombed USS Cole? Where were you when.Iran said “death to America” for 47 years? A rogue radical terrorist country that slaughtered 45,000 of its own people in the street like dogs, CANNOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. Deal with it!