A diplomatic row has emerged between the United States and Spain after the White House claimed Madrid had agreed to cooperate with American military operations against Iran, a statement swiftly rejected by Spain’s foreign minister.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Spain had agreed to assist the US military effort, without giving details about the nature of that cooperation.
“It’s my understanding, over the past several hours, they’ve agreed to cooperate with the US military,” Leavitt told reporters.
However, Spain’s foreign minister José Manuel Albares strongly denied the claim, saying Madrid had not altered its position on the conflict or on the use of Spanish bases for US military operations.
“I categorically deny any change… our position on the use of the bases, on the war in the Middle East, on the bombardment of Iran, has not changed at all,” Albares told Cadena SER radio.
Spain had earlier refused US base access
The conflicting statements come days after Spain publicly refused to allow the United States to use jointly operated military bases on its territory for strikes against Iran.
The Spanish government declined permission for US forces to operate from the naval base at Rota and the air base at Morón, both of which are jointly run under long-standing defence agreements between Madrid and Washington.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez criticised the US-Israel campaign against Iran, describing it as “unilateral military action” and warning it risked creating “a more hostile and uncertain international order”.
Foreign minister Albares had also stated earlier that Spain would not authorise any activities beyond existing bilateral agreements or outside international law.
“The bases are not being used – nor will they be used – for anything that is not in the agreement, nor for anything that isn’t covered by the UN charter,” he said.
Trump criticises Spain’s stance
The disagreement has also drawn criticism from US President Donald Trump, who openly criticised Spain’s refusal to support the military campaign.
“Some of the European nations have been helpful, and some haven’t–and I’m very surprised. Germany’s been great… Spain has been terrible. In fact, I told Scott to cut off all dealings with Spain,” Trump said.
He added, “By the way, I’m not happy with the UK either.”
Trump has defended the US strikes on Iran, arguing that Washington acted to prevent a potential Iranian attack and stop Tehran from developing nuclear weapons.
“No, Based on the way the negotiation was going, I think [Iran] was going to attack first, and I didn’t want that to happen, so if anything, I might’ve forced Israel’s hand,” he said.
Iran thanks Spain for stance
Spain’s opposition to the campaign has drawn praise from Tehran, which thanked Madrid for what it described as responsible conduct.
Iranian officials said Spain’s refusal to allow its bases to be used for attacks demonstrated a commitment to international law and restraint as the conflict widened across the Middle East.
The diplomatic dispute comes as the US-Israel military campaign against Iran intensifies.
Washington and Tel Aviv launched coordinated strikes on Iranian military facilities, missile sites and naval assets, while Tehran has retaliated with missile and drone attacks targeting US allies and bases across the Gulf region.
Oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and shipping routes near the Strait of Hormuz have also come under threat, pushing global energy prices higher and disrupting international travel.
Trump has indicated the campaign could continue for several weeks, saying US forces aim to dismantle Iran’s missile capabilities, cripple its navy and prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
