The Government of Spain reaffirmed its “no to war” position with a new prohibition on the United States, now preventing U.S. Air Force military aircraft involved in attacks on Iran from flying over Spanish airspace.
The decision expands the restriction that Madrid had already imposed weeks earlier on the bases of Naval Station Rotaand Morón Air Base, two strategic enclaves for U.S. military transit between the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East. Now, in addition to denying the use of those facilities for offensive actions, Spain also closes one of the most useful air routes for moving assets eastward, forcing a reconsideration of logistical itineraries.
According to information published this Monday, March 30, the restriction affects military aircraft linked to the war, including those taking off from other allied bases in Europe and needing to cross Spanish airspace en route to the region. The only exception contemplated would be emergencies. In practice, the measure does not affect civilian traffic but does hinder the freedom of maneuver that the United States has enjoyed on Europe’s southern flank.
At the beginning of March, after Spain denied the use of Rota and Morón for strikes against Iran, at least 15 U.S. aircraft left those installations. Among them were KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft, essential for sustaining long-range air operations. That departure already indicated that Spain was not willing for its territory to function as a support platform for a war it considers outside its commitments and lacking sufficient legal backing.
Tensions have been even more visible due to the geostrategic value of Morón Air Base. The newspaper El País reported that Washington explored the possibility of deploying B-52H Stratofortress and B-1B Lancer bombers there, although that option was ultimately not carried out. The United States has had to seek alternatives in countries such as the United Kingdom and France, a sign that Spain’s refusal has concrete consequences for the logistical architecture of the operation Epic Fury.
Pedro Sánchez has described the war as “illegal” and “unjust,” while the Minister of Defence called it “profoundly illegal.” The minister Carlos Cuerpo defended, along the same lines, that Spain will not “participate or contribute” to a campaign that the government interprets as a unilateral action outside the framework of international law.
With this move, Spain assumes the risk of new friction with Washington, but also marks an independent position within the Western bloc that appears to be increasingly respected. European politicians such as Tino Chrupalla have praised Spain’s sovereign decision.
Madrid maintains its commitments with NATO, but has decided that neither Rota, nor Morón, nor Spanish airspace will serve as a springboard for the war against Iran. Amid a regional escalation, the message is clear: Spanish territory will not be part of that operation.
*Photographs used for illustrative purposes.
*Translated by Constanza Matteo
You may also like: Spain announces another 1 billion euros in military aid to Ukraine and joint defense production agreements
