On Monday, the Iranian ambassador in Spain warned that Iran could target US military bases across Europe. Due to this, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called on the US to remove all its aircraft from their military bases in the country.
Donald Trump has now vowed to “cut off” all trade with Spain after Madrid offered no support for the US president’s war in Iran.
During an Oval Office meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump announced, “We were going to cut off all trade with Spain. We don’t want anything to do with Spain.”
Trump then spent several minutes complaining about the NATO allies’ refusal to allow the US to use their military bases to attack Iran. He also said Spain doesn’t spend enough on defense.
“Spain has been terrible,” Trump said. “Spain actually said that we can’t use their bases.”
“They were unfriendly,” Trump added. “Spain has absolutely nothing that we need other than great people. They have great people, but they don’t have great leadership.”
Spain’s PM Pedro Sanchez has condemned the US-Israel war on Iran as a breach of international law, emerging as one of the sole Western leaders to denounce the attacks. pic.twitter.com/R6h2rn25YX
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) March 2, 2026
Meanwhile, the news comes as Reza Zabib, Iran’s ambassador in Spain, had a meeting in Madrid on Monday, March 2, when he told Sanchez that Iran possesses the capability to strike US military bases in Europe including those in the Spanish cities of Rota and Morón, where bases house both aircraft and military personnel.
This warning comes at a time when a significant escalation in rhetoric surrounding the ongoing conflict between Tehran and Washington. The ambassador framed his words as a defensive response rather than an act of unprovoked aggression on Spain.
Trump’s war on Iran is already one of the most intense periods of confrontation between the country and the US in decades. This has led to military exchanges and a sharp deterioration in diplomatic relations between countries, with heightening fears of broader conflict.
Trump: Spain has been terrible. In fact, I told Scott to cut off all dealings with Spain. Spain actually said that we can’t use their bases. And that’s all right. We could use their base if we want. We could just fly in and use it. Nobody’s going to tell us not to use it. pic.twitter.com/XugXBGiypW
— Acyn (@Acyn) March 3, 2026
While Zabib offered assurances that Iran does not want to target foreign soil in Europe, his remarks were nonetheless perceived by diplomats in Madrid as a deliberate amplification of Tehran’s defensive posture. As Iranian forces have already targeted US military basis in the Middle East, they could also strike in Europe, making it more difficult for the US to attack.
After Zabib explained the situation, this drew a swift reaction from Spanish officials, who reiterated that Spain’s territory would not be used for offensive military action against Iran. Furthermore, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares condemned the recent US-led strikes on Iran, warning they carried unpredictable consequences.
As noted by the NY Post, US military aircraft have already begun departing from the military bases in Spain to ensure they would not be used in actions against Iran without clear legal justification.
According to flight tracking data, at least 15 aircraft, including Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers, have departed from the Rota and Morón bases in Spain, with several moving on to Germany and other locations.
Meanwhile, other locations have been more willing to accommodate the US, including the UK, that has agreed to allow the US to utilize British facilities for “defensive strikes” aimed at Iranian missile infrastructure. This move has been framed by London as supporting collective self-defense for regional allies.
