Defense Minister Margarita Robles said the ban had been in place from the start of the conflict, and had been made “perfectly clear to the American military” from the outset. “We don’t authorize either the use of military bases or the use of airspace for actions related to the war in Iran.”
It’s unclear how much of an impact Spain’s decision has on warplanes like the B-2 Spirit bombers making the transatlantic roundtrip from Whiteman, Missouri to Iran. Spanish authorities clarified that the planes still receive logistical support from Spain, and are allowed to enter Spanish airspace in emergency situations.
Spain’s Sánchez has led Europe’s opposition to the war in Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump has been infuriated by Madrid’s refusal to allow U.S. forces to use jointly-operated bases on Spanish soil to carry out its operations in Iran. Earlier this month he described Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government as “terrible” and “unfriendly,” and threatened to cut all trade with the EU’s fourth-biggest economy.