Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez pushed back against US President Donald Trump’s threat to cut off trade with Spain on March 4, saying Madrid’s opposition to the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran was rooted in its long-standing stance against war and in defence of international law.

In a televised address from the prime minister’s residence in Madrid, Sánchez said the Spanish government’s position on the conflict could be summed up simply as “no to war”.

“First, we oppose the disregard for international law, which protects us all, especially the most vulnerable — the civilian population. Second, we oppose the notion that the world can only solve its problems through conflict and bombs. And finally, we oppose repeating the mistakes of the past,” Sánchez said. 

“You cannot answer one illegality with another, because that is how the great catastrophes of humanity begin,” he added.

Sánchez’s comments came after Trump threatened to impose a trade embargo on Spain after Madrid refused to allow the US to use jointly operated military bases in southern Spain for strikes on Iran.

“Spain has been terrible,” Trump said at the White House on March 3 after a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. “We’re going to cut off all trade with Spain. We don’t want anything to do with Spain.”

Spain had refused the use of its bases, saying the operation fell outside the scope of bilateral agreements and was not consistent with international law.

Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said in an interview with Cadena Ser radio on March 4 that Madrid would not allow the facilities to be used for an operation “not covered by its agreement with the US nor in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations”. 

Albares also denied a claim by White House spokesperson Katherine Leavitt that Madrid had agreed to “cooperate” with the US military. 

Following Spain’s decision, the United States has relocated aircraft, including refuelling tankers, from the bases.

Europe divided

The dispute has exposed divisions among Western allies over the widening US-Israeli campaign against Iran.

Britain has allowed the US to use certain bases for defensive operations, including RAF Fairford and the Diego Garcia facility in the Indian Ocean, though Prime Minister Keir Starmer said London would not participate in offensive strikes.

“President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to join the initial strikes. But it is my duty to judge what is in Britain’s national interest, and that is the judgement I made. I stand by it,” Starmer told the House of Commons on March 2. 

Trump criticised Britain’s initial hesitation and launched a personal attack on Starmer during his meeting with Merz, telling reporters the delay had complicated US operations.

“This is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with,” Trump said, adding that it would have been “much more convenient” to use British bases sooner.

Germany, by contrast, has taken a more supportive position of Washington’s actions. During his visit to Washington, Chancellor Friedrich Merz thanked Trump for talks on the conflict and said Berlin and Washington shared a desire to see Iran’s current leadership removed.

“We … share with the United States and Israel the interest that all of this should eventually come to an end,” Merz told a press conference after the meeting.

However, he later warned that the strategy carried risks. “Now we don't know if the plan will work and whether the military strikes from abroad will enable political change from within. This plan is not without risk, and we too would have to bear its consequences,” he told reporters.

Merz also said Germany had allowed the United States to use certain facilities, though Berlin had not been asked to send troops.

Trump praised Berlin’s cooperation, saying Germany had been “helping out” by allowing US forces to land at specific bases.

France criticises legality of strikes

French President Emmanuel Macron has taken a more critical line toward the military action. 

“United States and Israel decided to launch military operations, conducted outside the bounds of international law, which we cannot condone,” he said in an address to the French people on March 3. 

At the same time, Macron blamed Iran for escalating tensions in the Middle East and ordered French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and its escort ships to head to the Mediterranean as the conflict widened.

France also deployed air-defence capabilities to Cyprus after drones struck a British base on the island.

“We reacted immediately and shot down drones in self defence in the early hours of the conflict to defend the airspace of our allies,” Macron said.

The European Union signalled support for Spain after Trump’s threat to halt trade.

European Commission deputy chief spokesperson Olof Gill said Brussels stood “in full solidarity with all member states and all its citizens” and was ready to act “to safeguard EU interests”, Euronews reported.

Commission Vice President Stéphane Séjourné said any pressure on one EU member state amounted to pressure on the entire bloc.

“Any threat against a member state is by definition a threat against the EU,” he said, according to Politico.

Sánchez said he had spoken with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa, who both expressed support.