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Spain’s Pedro Sánchez, on the US and Israeli attack on Iran: ‘No to war, we are not going to be complicit’

Spain refused U.S. use of shared bases as Washington threatened an embargo, testing whether allied security cooperation can be coerced through economic punishment.

Iran War

Mar 4, 2026

Sources

https://english.elpais.com/international/2026-03-04/pedro-sanchez-on-the-us-and-israeli-attack-on-iran-no-to-war-we-will-not-support-this-disaster.html

Summary

Spain’s prime minister publicly rejected U.S. use of the joint military bases in Rota and Morón amid U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. The Spanish government positioned this refusal as a sovereignty-and-law-based break from subordination to Washington while Washington responded with trade threats. The practical consequence is heightened NATO and EU friction alongside preparations inside Spain for evacuations and economic mitigation in case of a prolonged conflict.

Reality Check

Economic retaliation threats against an ally for exercising control over its territory normalize coercion as a substitute for negotiated coordination in security policy. When military access and trade are treated as leverage tools rather than governed by predictable agreements, alliances become transactional instruments of pressure instead of rule-bound partnerships. Over time, that model conditions publics to accept foreign policy made through intimidation, weakening the expectation that democratic governments can act through law, consent, and transparent commitments.

Detail

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez delivered an institutional statement from La Moncloa without journalists present. He reiterated Spain’s opposition to the U.S.- and Israeli-led military attack on Iran and revived the “no to war” slogan, arguing against resolving conflicts “with bombs” and emphasizing international law, the UN Charter, and diplomacy.

Sánchez said Spain repudiates the Iranian regime while rejecting military operations against it, and stated that Spain “will not be complicit.” He referenced U.S. threats to block trade with Spain after Spain rejected U.S. use of the joint military bases in Rota and Morón.

He said Spain will work toward an EU consensus position while maintaining it will not take a subordinate position to the United States. Sánchez also said the government is preparing a new “social shield” to protect Spaniards, including evacuation arrangements and measures to mitigate economic impact if the conflict becomes prolonged.

Spain denies US permission to use jointly operated bases to attack Iran

Spain’s refusal to authorize US strike operations from shared bases underscores how contested legality can fracture alliance basing norms and constrain war-making by access.

Iran War

Mar 2, 2026