Spain has barred US military aircraft linked to the Iran war from using its airspace, escalating tensions with Washington.
The government of Spain has closed its airspace to American military aircraft involved in operations against Iran, marking a sharp escalation in its opposition to the conflict. Defence Minister Margarita Robles confirmed the decision on Monday, saying Madrid would not allow the use of either its military bases or airspace for actions connected to the war.
“We don’t authorise 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 move follows earlier restrictions by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government, which had already refused to allow US forces to use jointly operated bases for strikes. Spanish newspaper El País first reported the development, citing military sources.
The decision forces US aircraft to reroute around the NATO member state on missions to the Middle East, though exceptions will apply in emergency situations. US President Donald Trump has previously threatened a full trade embargo on Spain over the restrictions, while Sánchez warned the war risks “playing Russian roulette” with millions of lives and vowed Spain would not be complicit.