&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "US says Spain will 'cooperate'; Madrid denies White House claim of military cooperation on Iran")
A diplomatic clash intensified on Wednesday (March 4) after the White House claimed Spain had agreed to cooperate with the US military, only for Madrid to deny any policy shift hours later publicly. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Spain had “heard the president’s message loud and clear” and agreed to work with US forces, following threats from Donald Trump to cut off trade with Madrid.
Trump had warned he could impose an embargo after Spain refused to allow US aircraft to use jointly operated naval and air bases in southern Spain for operations linked to US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Speaking alongside Friedrich Merz, Trump accused Spain of being “very uncooperative” and said he had instructed officials to halt business dealings with the country. He also criticized Madrid for failing to meet NATO defense spending targets. But Spain swiftly rejected the White House’s characterization.
Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said there had been no change in Spain’s position on the use of its military bases or on the broader conflict in the Middle East. “I categorically deny any change,” Albares said in a radio interview, reiterating Madrid’s opposition to the bombing of Iran.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has maintained Spain’s anti-war stance, warning the conflict risks triggering a wider global crisis. Deputy Prime Minister Maria Jesus Montero added that Spain “will not be vassals” to another country.
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The conflicting statements highlight growing tensions between Washington and Madrid over military cooperation, NATO defense spending commitments, and the escalating crisis involving Iran.
Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.
