Spain has closed its airspace to U.S. aircraft involved in attacks against Iran, as explained by its Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles. The minister stated: “The use of bases is not authorized, and, of course, the use of Spanish airspace for operations related to the war in Iran is not authorized.” Robles added that Spain communicated this position to the U.S. government from the outset: “From the very first moment, it was made crystal clear to the American side that neither the use of bases nor the use of Spanish airspace for operations related to the war in Iran would be authorized.” Spain's Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, explained that the objective of this decision is “not to do anything that could fuel an escalation in this war.” A White House official told the BBC that U.S. forces are meeting or exceeding their objectives in the so-called Operation Epic Fury and do not need help from Spain or any other country. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio referred to Spain's position in an interview with Al Jazeera. “One of the reasons why NATO is beneficial for the United States is that it gives us rights to use bases in contingencies. We don't want to have anything to do with Spain.” Since the beginning of the conflict at the end of February, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has positioned himself as one of the firmest critics of the U.S. and Israeli offensive against Iran, which he has described as “senseless” and “illegal.” At the beginning of March, Sánchez explained that Spain had denied the United States the use of the two joint-use bases in Rota and Morón, both in Andalusia. “We have denied the United States the use of the bases in Rota and Morón for this illegal war. And there are other countries that have done so as well.” According to Rubio, behaviors like Spain's make it difficult for NATO membership to be “good for the United States” and “all of this will have to be re-examined.” U.S. President Donald Trump has already threatened to impose a total trade embargo on Spain because of its stance on the war in Iran. At a press conference at the White House in early March, he declared: “We are going to cut off all trade with Spain. All, including refueling aircraft,” announced Sánchez. And he added: “We are a sovereign country that does not want to take part in illegal wars.” U.S. bombers involved in operations in Iran are currently at the Fairford base in Gloucestershire (United Kingdom) after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on March 1 that his country had accepted the U.S. request. Aircraft taking off from there will now have to circumvent most of the Iberian Peninsula, either by flying over the eastern Atlantic or France. The Spanish newspaper El País reported that the aircraft would only be able to cross Spanish airspace or land at the bases in an emergency. In a ten-minute televised address on March 4, the Spanish Prime Minister reflected on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, as well as the Iraq War over 20 years ago, and stated that the Executive's position could be summarized in a “no to war” slogan, the same one that became popular in the demonstrations that swept through Spain in 2004 against the Iraq War. Later, the Embassy of Iran in Spain said that Tehran would be receptive to requests from Madrid regarding transit through the Strait of Hormuz, because Spain was “committed to international law.” Approximately 20% of the world's oil supply usually passes through this maritime corridor between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula. For weeks, the threat of drone, missile, and possibly mine attacks by Iran has kept the strait practically closed, causing a sharp rise in oil prices.
