Spain Defies US, Rejects Use of Bases in Iran Conflict, Prompting Trade Threat from Trump
Madrid – Spain is standing firm in its opposition to the use of its military bases by the United States in operations related to the conflict in Iran, even as Washington threatens economic retaliation. The escalating dispute between Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and US President Donald Trump underscores a growing rift between the two leaders and highlights Spain’s increasingly independent foreign policy stance.
Sánchez publicly reiterated his “no to war” position Wednesday, following weekend strikes by the US and Israel in Iran that triggered the latest regional conflict. He defended his government’s decision, stating, “We will not be complicit in something that is harmful to the world and contrary to our values and interests, simply out of fear of retaliation.”
The White House, however, claimed Madrid had “agreed to cooperate with the US military,” according to Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, though details of any such cooperation remain undisclosed. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares swiftly refuted this claim, affirming that Spain’s position regarding the use of its bases and the broader conflict in the Middle East has not changed.
The dispute escalated Tuesday when Trump publicly lashed out at Sánchez’s government, calling Spain a “terrible” ally and threatening to sever all trade with the country. Spain is a major European economy and a member of the European Union, where goods move freely between its 27 member states, complicating any attempt to impose unilateral trade restrictions.
“Trump’s words don’t always become policy. We will have to see if he follows through, and how,” said Ángel Saz Carranza, director of the Esade Center for Global Economy and Geopolitics, a Spanish think tank.
The current standoff is not isolated. Sánchez has previously clashed with the Trump administration over defense spending, refusing to commit to increasing it to five percent of GDP as demanded by the US. He has also been a vocal critic of Israel’s actions in Gaza and the US operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
US forces have utilized the Rota naval base and Morón air base in southern Spain since 1953, under an agreement originally signed during the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian praised Spain’s stance on X, commending its “responsible conduct in opposing the Zionist-American coalition’s flagrant human rights violations and military aggression.”
Support for Sánchez has also come from within Europe, with French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and European Council chief Antonio Costa all voicing their backing. Costa stated on X that the EU would “always ensure that the interests of its member states are fully protected.”
Sánchez’s firm position has resonated with progressive voters in Spain, where memories of the country’s involvement in the 2003 Iraq War – and the subsequent Madrid train bombings in 2004 – remain vivid. His opposition to the use of Spanish bases is seen by some as a strategic move to galvanize support for his minority government ahead of the 2027 general election, though critics on the right accuse him of prioritizing domestic politics over sound foreign policy.
Meanwhile, neighboring Portugal has authorized the United States to “conditionally” use an airbase on the Azores archipelago for the Iran strikes, provided operations are “defensive or retaliatory” and target only military objectives.
