Madrid bars US military flights as Trump threatens trade measures over Iran conflict
Spain has closed its airspace to U.S. military planes involved in attacks on Iran, extending its previous refusal to allow use of jointly-operated bases, Defence Minister Margarita Robles said on Monday.
“We don’t authorize either the use of military bases or the use of airspace for actions related to the war in Iran,” Robles told reporters in Madrid. The closure forces U.S. military planes to bypass Spanish airspace en route to the Middle East, though emergency flights remain exempt, according to El Pais.
Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo emphasized that the move reflects Spain’s decision not to participate in or contribute to a war initiated unilaterally and against international law. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has repeatedly criticized the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, calling them reckless and illegal.
In response, President Donald Trump threatened to cut trade with Spain over its denial of access to Spanish bases for U.S. operations related to the war.
Spain’s decision underscores growing tensions with the United States amid the escalating Middle East conflict, as NATO members navigate the balance between alliance obligations and national policy on military interventions.
Source: Reuters