Spain has denied claims by the White House that US armed forces could use Spanish military bases for operations in the Middle East amid a war in Iran.
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albarez denied that the European government had changed its position after White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt said the Spanish government in Madrid had agreed to help the US.
“I can deny (the White House spokesman),” Albarez told Spanish radio station Cadena Ser. “The Spanish government’s position on the war in the Middle East, the bombing of Iran and the use of our bases has not changed one iota.”
Albarez’s denial came after Leavitt said, “As for Spain, I think they heard the president’s message loud and clear yesterday.”
“And it’s my understanding in the last several hours, they’ve agreed to cooperate with the US military. And so I know that the US military is coordinating with their counterparts in Spain,” Leavitt said in a press conference at the White House on Wednesday.
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“The president expects all of our European allies to cooperate in this long-term targeted operation to bring down the rogue Iranian regime, not just for the United States, but for Europe as well,” Leavitt added.
The rift began when US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would “cut all trade with Spain”, a day after Albarez said his government would not allow the US to use jointly operated bases in southern Spain in any strikes not covered by the UN charter.
Albares noted that military bases in Spain were not used in the weekend attack on Iran.
“If the US administration wants to review the trade agreement, it must respect the autonomy of private companies, international law and bilateral agreements between the European Union and the United States,” a spokesman for Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s office said on Tuesday.
Sanchez has criticized the US and Israeli attacks on Iran, calling it “unjustifiable” and “dangerous” military intervention. His government has called for immediate de-escalation and talks, and condemned Iran’s attacks across the region.
In a televised speech on Wednesday, Sanchez warned that the war in the Middle East risks “playing Russian roulette” with millions of lives.
“We’re not going to get complicit in something bad for the world and something that goes against our values and interests, for fear of retribution from somebody,” Sanchez said.
“In short, the position of the government of Spain can be summed up in four words,” Sánchez continued. “No to war.”
After Spain denied US use of its bases, Trump said, “We can use their bases if we want to.”
“We can just jump in and use it. Nobody’s going to tell us not to use it, but we don’t have to.”
– with files from the Associated Press
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(tags to translate) Iran
