On Monday, the socialist Spanish government announced that it is closing its airspace to American aircraft, a move that is likely to further complicate the already tense relationship between the two countries.
Previously, Spain had condemned US attacks on Iran, and Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares stated that Spain would not allow its military bases—operated jointly by the US and Spain but under Spanish sovereignty—to be used for attacks against the country.
“Spanish bases are not being used for this operation, and they will not be used for anything that is not part of the agreement with the US or for anything that is not in accordance with the UN Charter,” Albares said in a statement to the Spanish television channel Telecinco at the beginning of March.
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On Monday, the next step in Spain’s resistance to the US arrived as it closed its airspace to American planes involved in attacks on Iran.
“We do not approve the use of military bases nor the use of our airspace for actions related to the war in Iran,” said Defense Minister Margarita Robles.
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The closure of the airspace forces military aircraft to avoid the NATO member country Spain en route to their targets in the Middle East. However, the prohibition does not include emergencies.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has been one of the loudest critics of the US and Israel’s attacks on Iran, describing them as reckless and illegal. In response, US President Donald Trump has threatened to cut off trade with Spain.
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