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“She might be the White House spokesperson, but I’m the foreign minister of Spain!”
A transatlantic dispute is unfolding after Washington suggested Spain had shifted its stance on a potential military operation against Iran.
Madrid, however, says its position has not changed.
Spanish officials quickly pushed back against claims from the White House, setting the stage for a diplomatic clash over military bases and international law.
What is the dispute about?
Spain has refused to let the US use any of the military bases in Spain in the ongoing war in Iran.
“There is an agreement, a bilateral accord, and outside the framework of that bilateral agreement, there will be no use of Spanish sovereign bases,” Spain’s Foreign Minister, José Luis Albares, said during an interview with Spain’s Cadena Ser radio network said.
He was referring to the long-standing military cooperation deal between the two countries and added that operations must fall “within the framework of the United Nations.”
Conflicting claims emerge
However, according to the White House, Spain had agreed to cooperate with U.S. forces despite earlier resistance.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Levitt said Wednesday at a press briefing, that Madrid had heard President Donald Trump’s warning “loud and clear” and was now coordinating with Washington.
The claim came less than a day after Trump threatened to suspend trade ties with Spain if it continued blocking the use of U.S. military bases on Spanish territory for strikes against Iran.
But Spain’s foreign minister strongly disputed the statement.
“I categorically deny this,” Albares said.
Madrid stands firm
Albares said Spain’s stance on the Middle East conflict and the reported attack on Iran remained unchanged.
“Spain’s position on the war in the Middle East, on the attack on Iran, on the use of our bases, has not changed,” he said.
When asked about Levitt’s remarks, Albares replied: “She might be the White House spokesperson, but I’m the foreign minister of Spain!”
Earlier, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez had addressed the nation on television, condemning the U.S. and Israel’s attack on Iran and reiterating that Spain had said “no to war.”
Sources: Cadena Ser, White House statements, Politico
