Spain has barred U.S. military aircraft involved in the war with Iran from using its airspace, officials said Monday, intensifying a diplomatic rift between Madrid and Washington.
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The decision follows an earlier move by the Spanish government to deny the United States access to joint military bases on Spanish territory for operations tied to the conflict. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has repeatedly criticized the war, calling it illegal, reckless and unjust.
Defense Minister Margarita Robles said the same restrictions apply to Spanish airspace. She said U.S. forces had been informed from the outset that neither the bases nor the country’s airspace could be used for military actions related to the war.
Madrid shuts airspace to US military flights
Robles described the conflict as “profoundly illegal and profoundly unjust,” reiterating Madrid’s opposition to involvement in the fighting.
Sánchez has urged all sides, including the United States, Israel and Iran, to end hostilities. Earlier this month he warned that responding to one unlawful act with another risks triggering wider disasters.
Washington pushes back
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticized Spain’s position, accusing the country’s leaders of boasting about closing their airspace to American forces even as Washington remains committed to defending the NATO ally.
Rubio said the transatlantic alliance benefits the United States partly because it provides access to military facilities across Europe.
However, he questioned the value of such arrangements if allies restrict American use of bases or airspace during conflicts.
“If NATO is only about the U.S. defending Europe when it’s attacked but denying us basing rights when we need them, that’s not a very good arrangement,” Rubio said in an interview with Al Jazeera. He added that the issue would likely need to be reconsidered.
The dispute has also drawn in the White House. After Spain blocked use of the Rota and Morón air bases in southern Spain, President Donald Trump warned that the United States could impose trade penalties on Madrid.
Defense spending tensions
Relations between the two countries had already been strained by disagreements over military spending within North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Last year Washington threatened trade action after Spain declined to match the alliance’s planned increase in defense spending, which had risen under pressure from Trump.
Madrid argued it could meet its commitments by allocating 2.1 percent of its gross domestic product to defense, below the 5 percent level endorsed by other members of the 32-nation alliance.
Sánchez has also been a vocal critic of Israeli military operations in Gaza, drawing repeated criticism from Israel’s government.
Rare move among NATO allies
Spain’s refusal to allow airspace or base access to a NATO partner is unusual but not without precedent. The alliance declined to comment, referring questions to national governments.
Daniel Baer, a former U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, said NATO cooperation normally assumes allies will assist each other, though each country ultimately retains sovereignty over such decisions.
Similar tensions have surfaced before. In 1986, France and Italy denied U.S. forces permission to use their airspace during a strike on Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
In 2003, Turkey refused to allow American ground forces to launch the invasion of Iraq from its territory, though it permitted U.S. aircraft to fly overhead.
Europe watches cautiously
Analysts say Spain’s stance reflects wider unease in Europe about Washington’s policies since Trump returned to office.
Baer said the relationship between the United States and its traditional allies had already been under pressure. While European partners usually cooperate with Washington, he said they should not be taken for granted.
Still, he believes other European governments are unlikely to adopt similar restrictions.
Many remain focused on maintaining U.S. support for Ukraine, making them cautious about steps that could further strain relations with Washington.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 31 March 2026
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