Spain refuses to provide aid to the US in the war against Iran: it will not use the Rota and Morón bases

MadridPedro Sánchez has set out be the antithesis of Donald TrumpThis also applies to the US attack on Iran. Although the Spanish Prime Minister's office insists on categorically rejecting the Iranian regime, it maintains a similarly neutral stance regarding the offensive launched by the Americans in the Middle East, arguing that the Trump administration's disregard for international law cannot be condoned. This position differs from that of the European Union as a whole, which has taken a more lukewarm stance, particularly that of Germany, the United Kingdom, and France.who have aligned themselves directly with the Americans against Iran. On Monday, Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares was unequivocal: "The US bases at Rota and Morón de la Frontera are not and will not be used for anything that is not in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations," he told the media, closing the door on providing military aid to the United States. Defense Minister Margarita Robles reaffirmed this position, asserting that an agreement exists with the United States for the use of the bases, but that it only permits operations within the bounds of international law and not when a military acts unilaterally. In this regard, she confirmed that the Americans have decided to withdraw their tanker aircraft from the Andalusian bases following the Spanish government's decision not to provide them with support. "We are not aligned with a regime like the one in Tehran, but the solution can never be the use of violence, regardless of who is the victim," added the Minister of Defense, who assured that she is in constant contact with the Spanish military personnel deployed on missions in Iraq, Turkey, and Lebanon.

The People's Party (PP) has seized upon Sánchez's discordant tone with European powers to rub salt in the wound. "Spain must stand unequivocally with liberal democracies," responded PP spokesperson Carmen Fúnez. "Something is wrong when the enemies of freedom applaud Pedro Sánchez's government." In this regard, she reaffirmed the position of PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo: "We defend democracy, respect for human rights, and freedom in foreign policy. We will never stand with a regime that has confined women to burkas and that has killed more than 38,000 people in recent demonstrations." The PP has avoided addressing the fact that Trump violated international law with the attack. "We will always stand by our EU and NATO partners," insisted Fúnez, who also lamented that the Spanish government "is not informing the opposition within the appropriate timeframe and in the proper manner" about what is happening. Albares was also forceful in his response to those who accuse him of aligning himself with Iran: "We want democracy, freedom, and fundamental rights for Iranians, but I want to be very clear: this military operation is not about democracy in Iran, it's about other things," the minister declared. Spain's position is one of "moderation" and attempting "de-escalation," since the Spanish government believes that an extension of the armed conflict in the region could have consequences "that no one can foresee."