MADRID – US tanker aircraft have relocated from military bases in southern Spain after Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez refused to authorise logistical support operations linked to the joint US-Israeli campaign against Iran.

Defence Minister Margarita Robles said Monday that Spain “has not provided and will not provide” assistance for what she described as a “unilateral” operation via the shared Rota and Morón bases.

Spain’s decision to withhold permission for the flights marks the latest point of contention between Sanchez, a staunch critic of both Israel and Donald Trump, and the US administration n recent months

US tanker aircraft permanently stationed in Spain will not operate from Spanish soil for this mission, Robles said, adding that Washington had taken the “sovereign decision” to move them elsewhere.

Although Rota and Morón are jointly operated under a 1988 bilateral agreement, Robles stressed that any use of the facilities must comply with international law.

The bases serve as a strategic transit hub for US troops, equipment and fuel heading to the Middle East and Gulf. Their role has previously sparked controversy – notably during last year’s brief Israel–Iran conflict, when they were used as stop-off points for US bombers and tanker aircraft, and later amid reports of US military transfers to Israel despite Spain’s embargo.

Sánchez has made no secret of his opposition to the US military intervention. “One can be against Iran’s odious regime and military intervention” which he deemed “unjustified, dangerous and contrary to international law,” he said on Sunday.

On Monday, Iran’s ambassador to Spain, Reza Zabib, said he “appreciated” Sánchez’s words. When asked about the prime minister’s words referring to Iran’s “hateful regime, ” Zabib refrained from answering.

The episode adds to broader tensions between Madrid and Washington. Sánchez has resisted pressure to boost defence spending beyond NATO’s 2% GDP benchmark, arguing higher outlays would undermine Spain’s welfare model.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticised Spain’s military spending, which rose from 1.43% of GDP in 2024 to 2% by the end of last year, according to NATO data.

(cs, mk)