A diplomatic tussle between the United States and Spain over the war in Iran intensified when the governments exchanged contradictory statements over the possible use of Spanish military bases by American armed forces for operations in the Middle East.
Moments after a White House spokesperson said the Spanish government in Madrid had agreed to help the US, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares came out and flatly denied that the European government had changed its position.
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“I can refute (the White House spokesperson),” Albares told Spanish radio station Cadena Ser. “The position of the Spanish government regarding the war in the Middle East, the bombing of Iran and the use of our bases has not changed one iota.”
The disagreement broke out when Trump said that he was going to “ cut off all trade with Spain,” a day after Albares said that his government wouldn’t allow the US to use jointly operated bases in southern Spain in any strikes not covered by the UN charter. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said that his government wouldn’t “be complicit in something that is bad for the world.”
Albares denied that his government had reconsidered its posture on the use of the bases in Madrid shortly after White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt had said “with respect to Spain, I think they heard the president’s message yesterday loud and clear.
“And it’s my understanding over the past several hours, they’ve agreed to cooperate with the US military," Leavitt had said. "And so I know that the US military is coordinating with their counterparts in Spain.”
Spanish criticism of military action in Iran
Sánchez, widely regarded as Europe’s last major progressive leader, has called the US and Israeli attacks on Iran an “unjustifiable” and “dangerous” military intervention.
Sánchez again criticised the US and Israel's military actions in Iran early when he made a nationally televised address. While not mentioning Trump by name, Sánchez stood firm against trade threats from Washington and warning that the war in the Middle East risked “playing Russian roulette” with millions of lives.
“We are not going to be complicit in something that is bad for the world and is also contrary to our values and interests, just out of fear of reprisals from someone,” Sánchez said.
Sánchez expressed concern that the attacks on Iran could lead to another costly military quagmire in the Middle East, similar to the past American interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“In short, the position of the government of Spain can be summarised in four words,” Sánchez said. “No to the war.”
After Spain denied US use of its bases, Trump said “we could use their base if we want,” referencing the Rota and Morón installations in southern Spain that the US and Spain share, but which remain under Spanish command.
“We could just fly in and use it,” Trump said. “Nobody’s going to tell us not to use it, but we don’t have to.”
US chastises Spain
It wasn't clear how Trump would have cut off trade with Spain, which is a member of the European Union. The EU negotiates trade on behalf of all its 27 member states.
When asked in an interview with CNBC whether a trade embargo with Spain would be possible, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that Wednesday “it would be a combination effort." He didn't explain further, but said Spain's refusal to allow the US to use its bases in the weekend attack on Iran endangered American lives.
“Anything that slows down our ability to engage and prosecute this war in the fastest, most effective manner puts American lives at risk,” Bessent said. “The Spanish put American lives at risk.”
The EU said that it would protect its interests and work to stabilise its trade relationship with the US, with which it struck a trade deal last year after months of economic uncertainty over Trump’s tariff blitz.
The morning's headlines in 90 seconds, including the US sinks an Iranian warship killing dozens, help is on the way for stranded New Zealanders, and Finn Allen powers the Black Caps to a T20 World cup final. (Source: 1News)
Trade threats
Tuesday's threats from Washington were just the latest instance of the US president wielding the threat of tariffs or trade embargoes as punishment. Last month, the US Supreme Court struck down Trump’s far-reaching global tariffs, saying emergency powers don't allow the president to unilaterally impose sweeping tariffs.
However, Trump maintains that the court allows him to instead impose full-scale embargoes on other nations of his choosing.
Spain's main business groups expressed concerns over the trade threat, calling the US a “key partner from an economic and political standpoint.”
“We trust that our trade relations will ultimately not be affected in any way,” the Spanish business chambers CEOE, CEPYME and ATA said Tuesday.
Last year, Spain's central bank issued a report that concluded Europe's fourth-largest economy was relatively cushioned compared with the EU average when it came to exposure to tariffs by Trump.
Spain’s exports and imports with the US accounted for 4.4% of gross domestic product, the Bank of Spain said, while trade with the US for the EU as a whole was 10.1%.
Exports of Spanish goods to the US accounted for 1% of Spain's GDP, or 16 billion euros (NZD$31.3 billion), the bank said, making it Spain’s sixth largest export market for goods. Pharmaceutical products, olive oil, refined gas and electrical transformers are among Spain's main exports to the US, according to the Observatory of Economic Complexity.
How Trump's ire with Starmer over Iran may rattle US-UK relationship
The so-called "special relationship" was tested this week when Trump called Britain "uncooperative" and slammed Starmer as “not Winston Churchill” after he initially rebuffed a US request to use UK bases for attacks on Iran.
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Spain’s position on the Iran conflict is the latest flare-up in its relationship with the Trump administration.
Sánchez was an outspoken critic of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and attracted Trump's ire last year when Spain backed out of NATO’s pledge to increase defense spending by members to 5% of GDP.
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