The diplomatic tension between the United States and Spain over the war against Iran has taken a new step this Monday. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham openly called for withdrawing US bases and planes from Spanish territory after refused to support Washington’s military offensive.
“I want our bases and air bases outside of Spain”said the senator from South Carolina during an interview on the Fox News network.
Graham He went further and asked that both the United States and its NATO allies move their military facilities out of the country, in response to the Spanish Executive’s position regarding the conflict. “All our planes and those of our allies should leave Spain”he pointed out.
The origin of the crash
The statements come in the midst of an escalation of tension due to the war that the United States has had with Iran for more than a week.
The Spanish Government decided not to authorize the use of the for operations linked to the offensive against Tehrana decision that has provoked strong criticism from American political sectors.
For Graham, the Spanish refusal represents a lack of support for Washington’s strategy in the Middle East, whose objective, as the senator himself has reiterated, is to weaken the Iranian regime.
The Republican defended that Western allies should become more actively involved in the military campaign.
Trump’s threats
The American president, Donald Trumphad already raised its tone last week by warning that it could take economic retaliation against Spain.
The president threatened to cut off bilateral trade and even impose a trade embargo if Madrid He maintained his refusal to collaborate in the offensive against Iran. “Spain has absolutely nothing that we need, except great people,” Trump said in one of his public interventions.
he added in reference to the Government of Pedro Sánchez.
The response of the Spanish Government
From Madrid, President Pedro Sánchez has defended the decision not to participate in military operations and has criticized the US strategy. The President of the Government described the attacks on Iran as a “mistake” and warned that they could have important consequences for international stability.
In recent years, Spain has maintained a more cautious stance in relation to military interventions in the Middle East.betting more on diplomatic solutions.
A key country for NATO
The controversy is not minor if we take into account the strategic role that Spain plays within the Western military architecture. The country is home to several key facilities used by United States and NATO in the Mediterranean.
Among them, the Rota naval base stands out, in Cadizwhich serves as a fundamental point for naval operations in Europe and Africaand the air base of Morón, in Seville, used for rapid deployments and logistics operations.
Both facilities are part of the defense system of the and have been important pieces in US operations for years in North Africa and the Middle East.
Graham’s words thus reflect a growing political tension that could have consequences on military cooperation between Washington and Madrid if the conflict with Iran continues to escalate.
