Spain has closed its airspace to flights involved in the United States’ Operation Epic Fury against Iran’s Islamic regime, the Spanish newspaper El País reported on Monday, with the NATO ally specifically tracking U.S. aircraft.
El País, citing unnamed military sources, reports the Spanish government has not only prohibited the use of the bases in Rota, Cádiz and Morón de la Frontera, Seville, by fighter jets or in-flight refueling aircraft participating in the attack, but it is also barring the use of its airspace by U.S. aircraft stationed in third countries such as the United Kingdom or France.
Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares reportedly confirmed the prohibition during a Monday morning radio interview with RAC1 moments after El País published its report. Albares justified the prohibition by arguing that Spain must not “do anything that could escalate the conflict,” in line with the policy pursued by the Spanish socialist government and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s purported “neutral” stance towards the United States and Israel’s military actions against the Iranian regime.
The Spanish veto against U.S. aircraft, the El País stated, comes after Sánchez made a passing mention to the policy during a plenary session of the Spanish Congress on Wednesday that went “unnoticed” amid the political uproar.
“We have denied the United States the use of the Rota and Morón bases for this illegal war,” Sánchez reportedly told Congress. “All flight plans involving operations in Iran have been rejected. All of them, including those for refueling aircraft.”
According to El País, the prohibition has an exception for aircraft facing emergency situations, in which case it will be authorized to transit or land in Spain.
The newspaper pointed out that the prohibition does not mean that the Morón and Rota bases are not being used by U.S. Air Force (USAF) aircraft, as all missions under Spain’s bilateral agreement with the U.S. remain in effect, such as logistical support for the some 80,000 U.S. troops deployed in Europe.
“Support has also been provided, from the Seville Air Traffic Control Center of the public entity ENAIRE, for the navigation of B-2 Spirit bombers that depart from their base at Whiteman, in the state of Missouri, strike Iran, and then return on a nonstop flight lasting more than 30 hours,” El País wrote.
“However, these bombers do not enter Spanish airspace but instead cross the Strait of Gibraltar in transit, something Spain cannot prevent,” the newspaper continued.
Asked by RAC1 if the Spanish government expects any retaliation from the administration of President Donald Trump over its latest decision, Foreign Minister Albares reportedly answered, “Why should we be afraid,” and reiterated that Spain is “acting in accordance with the United Nations Charter.”
Per the Spanish newspaper El Español, Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo also confirmed the prohibition against U.S. aircraft and stated he expects trade relations with the U.S. to remain the same as they were before the Iran war.
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