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Spain does not allow the US to use its military bases for attacks on Iran

2026-03-03 09:19:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Spain has refused the US permission to use jointly operated military bases on its territory to attack Iran.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has condemned US and Israeli military action against Iran, warning that it is “bringing about a more hostile and insecure international order.” His criticism has been reinforced by his government’s decision to block the US from using bases in Rota and Moron for ongoing attacks against Iran.

Spain's Foreign Minister, Jose Manuel Albares, said on Monday that while the government wants democracy, freedom and fundamental rights for the Iranian people, it will in no way allow its bases to be used in ongoing military actions.

"I want to be very clear. The bases are not being used, nor will they be used, for anything that is not in agreement with the US, nor for anything that is not covered by the UN charter ," he said.

Defense Minister Margarita Robles was equally adamant, saying that none of the bases had been used in the US military operation.

"There is an agreement with the US on these bases, but our understanding of the agreement is that the operations must be in accordance with international legal frameworks and that there must be international support for them ," she told reporters.

On Saturday, Sanchez said that the offensive of Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu was making the world less stable and called for a lasting political solution to the conflict, while reiterating this in a speech in Barcelona.

"Today, more than ever, it is vital to remember that you can be against a hated regime – as all of Spanish society is when it comes to the Iranian regime – and, at the same time, against an unjustified and dangerous military intervention that is outside international law," he said.

Sanchez's direct condemnations could deepen his "discord" with Trump, who last year sharply criticized Spain for refusing to accept a NATO proposal that member countries increase their defense spending to 5% of their GDP. Sanchez has also been among the most vocal European critics of both Israel's war in Gaza and the EU's response to it.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer initially did not allow US forces to use Diego Garcia or any British air base due to doubts about the legality of the attacks.

But he changed his stance on Sunday after Iran launched a wave of retaliatory missile and drone attacks on targets across the Middle East - one of which hit a British air base in Cyprus.

Trump reacted to the change in stance by saying that the UK had taken too long to allow US forces to use its bases.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called for a lasting diplomatic solution to the crisis in Iran, adding that the bloc will work hard to prepare for the consequences of these recent events. /CNA