Spain defies US threats, remains firm against Iran war

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has maintained his stance despite US President Donald Trump's threat to suspend all trade with Spain if it does not support ongoing strikes against Iran.

British media outlet The Guardian reports that Sanchez described the escalating conflict in the Middle East as "playing Russian roulette with the fate of billions of people."

In a speech on Wednesday, March 4, he made it clear that his government's position is three words – 'No to War'.

He warned that Spain will not, out of fear, be part of any actions harmful to the world and contrary to the country's interests and values.

Earlier on Tuesday, during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump criticised Spain, saying the country was behaving "terribly" by not allowing the use of joint military bases in southern Spain. He also ordered a halt to all transactions with Spain.

In response, Sanchez said, "One cannot respond to an illegal act with another illegal act. That is how the great catastrophes for humanity begin."

He cited the 2003 invasion of Iraq as an example, warning that war had created the greatest insecurity in Europe.

Sanchez further noted, "Some leaders create the fog of war to hide their own failures and fill the pockets of certain people. They only benefit when the world stops building hospitals and starts making missiles."

Trump expressed anger over Spain not accepting the proposal to increase defence spending by NATO member countries to 5 per cent of GDP. He said everyone was enthusiastic, but Spain was not. Now they say we cannot use their bases.

However, German Chancellor Merz confirmed that there is no scope to exclude Spain from trade agreements between the European Union and the United States.

EU Commission's Green Transition Chief Teresa Ribera said EU trade policy is conducted as a bloc, and retaliatory measures cannot be taken against any single country.