Spanish government slams White House claims it has reversed position on Iran conflict as feud escalates
Topics: Donald Trump, Spain, Iran
Phoebe Tonks
Featured Image Credit: Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images
Topics: Donald Trump, Spain, Iran
The Spanish government has once again hit out at the United States after the White House asserted that the European nation had reversed it’s opposition to the war on Iran and was cooperating with the US military.
The latest twist in the tense exchange between Spain and the US came late on Wednesday night and and followed on from a bitter row between Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez and US President Donald Trump over the US’ ability to use airbases stated in the country.
On Sunday, Sanchez banned the US from conducting airstrikes from bases on Spanish soil as it condemned the ongoing attack on Iran as a violation of international law, deeming it “an unjustified and dangerous military intervention.”
This prompted a furious response from Trump, who went off on a scathing tirade about how Spain’s leadership wasn’t fit for purpose and even threatened to cut off all trade with them until they backed down.
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Unwilling to admit defeat, Trump even suggested the US could simply uses the bases anyway, with or without the approval of the Spanish government.
That led Mr. Sánchez to address the nation on Wednesday morning. “We are not going to be accomplices to something that is bad for the world and contrary to our values and interests, simply because of fear of reprisals from some,” he said.
He added that Spain would keep ‘demanding the end of hostilities’ as his country doubled down on four key words: “No a la guerra” or in English “No to war.”
Spain previously supported and assisted in the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, which Mr. Sánchez explained had “provoked a drastic increase in jihadist terrorism, a severe migration crisis in the eastern Mediterranean.” He added, “Another American administration dragged us into a war in the Middle East.”
It was for this reason he had no intention of escalating matters further on contributing to an invasion he felt was unjust.
With Spain’s stance abundantly clear, a strange development unfolded on Wednesday afternoon when White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt suggested that there had been movement in the US’ favor.
“I think they heard the president’s message yesterday loud and clear,” she said. “It is my understanding over the past several hours they’ve agreed to cooperate with the US military.”
Yet it appears the White House was bending the truth, as Spain’s foreign minister, José Manuel Albares, swiftly rejected the White House assertion and clarified “That’s not true,” he said on a radio show that was disseminated Wednesday evening by the Spanish government. “We categorically deny it. Spain’s position has not changed.”
“The Spanish government’s position on the war in the Middle East, the bombings in Iran, and the use of our bases has not changed one iota,” Albares, said in an interview with Cadena Ser radio. “Our ‘no to war’ stance remains clear and unequivocal … She may be the White House press secretary, but I’m the foreign minister of Spain and I’m telling her that our position hasn’t changed at all.”
A government spokesperson added: “It is not true. We categorically deny any change. Spain’s position has not changed.”