The government of Spain has closed its airspace to United States aircraft involved in missions connected to the war in Iran and also denied Washington access to Spanish military bases, Defence Minister Margarita Robles said on Monday.
Gatekeepers News reports that “the bases are not authorised, and of course neither is the use of Spanish airspace for actions related to the war in Iran,” Robles told journalists, confirming an earlier report by the newspaper El País.
According to the report, Spain’s decision has “complicated” US military operations, forcing American bombers to alter their routes and logistics as they head toward the Middle East.
The newspaper added that transit or landing by US aircraft would only be permitted in the event of an emergency.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has been one of the most prominent Western leaders opposing the conflict, which began following US-Israeli strikes on February 28 and has since spread across parts of the Middle East.
His position has strained relations with Spain’s long-standing NATO ally, the United States, with President Donald Trump reportedly threatening to cut trade ties amid the growing policy dispute.
Tensions between the two allies had already escalated after Spain declined to support Washington’s push for NATO members to increase defence spending to five percent of their gross domestic product.
