In an interview for Al-Jazeera television, Marco Rubio sharply criticized the attitude of European allies, especially Spain, towards the ongoing conflict with Iran. Rubio blamed NATO member states for insufficient support and warned that Washington would have to reevaluate the Alliance’s effectiveness after the fighting ends.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticized Spain and other members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization for insufficient support for the US war against Iran in an interview with Al Jazeera on Monday. Washington will therefore have to reassess the functioning of NATO after this conflict. TASR informs about it based on the agencies DPA and AP.
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticizes NATO’s stance on the war against Iran.
- Rubio accuses NATO allies of abandoning the United States in times of need.
- According to Rubio, Washington is encountering resistance to the use of Spanish and other military bases.
- Spain has closed its airspace to American planes attacking Iran.
NATO is said to have left the US in a time of need
Rubio accused NATO allies of abandoning the United States in a time of need. According to the AP, he imitated President Donald Trump’s hostile rhetoric towards allies and alliances.
The foreign minister complained that Spain had banned US planes involved in the war against Iran from flying through its airspace, with Madrid “bragging” about the move. He also confirmed that Washington has encountered resistance to the use of military bases in Spain and elsewhere.
Rubio: NATO cannot be a one-way street
Still, Rubio emphasized that NATO is useful for the United States because it allows it to station American troops and equipment abroad.
“But if NATO is all about defending Europe if it’s attacked, but then denying us the rights to use bases when we need them, that’s not a very good deal,” Rubio said.
“It’s hard to stay in it and say it’s good for the United States. So it’s all going to have to be reassessed,” he added, stressing that NATO “cannot be a one-way street.”
Spain has closed its airspace to American planes
“Hopefully we can fix it. We’ll have time to deal with it later,” Rubio concluded.
On Monday, Spain closed its airspace to American planes participating in attacks on Iran. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is one of the most outspoken critics of the US and Israeli attacks on Iran, calling them irresponsible and illegal. In recent days, Trump has therefore threatened to restrict trade with Madrid.
