The Pentagon has suggested punishing Madrid for blocking bases and airspace during the war on Iran, according to an internal email cited by the outlet
The US is allegedly weighing unprecedented measures to punish NATO members it believes failed to support its war against Iran, Reuters reported on Friday, citing an internal Pentagon email. The options are said to include the possible suspension of Spain from the bloc, according to the outlet.
The document, reportedly circulating at high levels in the Department of War, expresses deep frustration with European NATO members who denied the US access to their bases and airspace during the war that started in late February, an American official familiar with the document told Reuters.
Among the measures under consideration are suspending “difficult” countries from key positions within the bloc, as well as temporarily revoking Spain’s NATO membership. While admitting that such a move would have a limited impact on US military operations, the Pentagon email argues it would carry significant symbolic weight.
However, a NATO official has stressed to the BBC that no provisions for member states to be suspended or expelled from the bloc actually exist. The only way a country can leave is by voluntarily invoking Article 13, which requires one year’s formal “notice of denunciation.”
Spain has been one of the most vocal critics of the US‑Israeli war on Iran and has consistently refused to allow US forces to use its military bases or airspace for offensive operations against the Islamic Republic. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has repeatedly denounced the campaign, calling it an “illegal, reckless, and unjust war.”
Commenting on the Reuters report, Sanchez brushed aside the threat, stating he was “absolutely not worried” about being suspended from the bloc, stressing that Spain is “a reliable member within NATO.”
Another option reportedly being considered by Washington is reviewing US diplomatic support for the UK’s claim to the Falkland Islands (Malvinas), which have long been disputed with Argentina. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer initially refused to join the US-Israeli war on Iran, although the UK later allowed “defensive missions” from its bases in the region.
Since the launch of the unprovoked attack on Iran, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly pressed NATO members to join the campaign and help secure the vital Strait of Hormuz.
When Spain and other European nations refused, Trump denounced NATO as a “paper tiger” and warned that the US could withdraw from the bloc.
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