Relations between Spain and the United States are continuing to function ‘normally’ despite recent tensions following threats from US President Donald Trump to cut trade ties with Madrid over its stance on the US-Israeli war against Iran, Spain’s foreign minister said on Tuesday.
The left-leaning government led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez angered Trump last week after criticising the war as reckless and illegal. Madrid also barred US aircraft from using jointly operated bases in southern Spain for operations linked to the offensive against Tehran. ALSO READ: US military aircraft leave Spain after government prohibits use of bases for Iran attacks.
Speaking to reporters, Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares (main image) said diplomatic relations remained unaffected, with both countries’ embassies continuing their work as usual.
‘Our embassy in Washington is operating normally and has all the contacts it should have as usual,’ he said, adding that the same applied to the US embassy in Madrid.
Trump had earlier threatened, on 3 March, to impose a full trade embargo on Spain. He also pointed to Madrid’s refusal to meet NATO’s new defence spending target of 5% of national output as another source of friction. ALSO READ: Trump vows to ‘cut off all trade’ with Spain over Iran stance: ‘We don’t want anything to do with Spain’.
Spanish officials pushed back against the remarks, with the country’s deputy prime minister saying Spain would not accept being treated as ‘vassals’. ALSO READ: Pedro Sánchez urges ‘loyal cooperation’ not ‘confrontation’ with US amid tensions over Iran war.
Further criticism came on Monday from US Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a close ally of Trump, who told Fox News that Spain had ‘lost its way’ and suggested Washington should consider relocating its air bases from Spain ‘into a country that’ll let us use them’.
Asked about Graham’s comments, Albares said there had been no communication from Washington regarding the bases at Rota and Morón de la Frontera (Andalusia), which serve as key logistical hubs for NATO operations, including air-to-air refuelling and intercontinental transit.
Albares also warned that a potential Israeli ground invasion of Lebanon would be a ‘tremendous’ mistake, while calling on the Iran-backed Shia militia Hezbollah to halt its rocket attacks on Israel.
He added that Spain would provide humanitarian assistance worth €9 million to Lebanon, where at least 500 people have been killed and around 700,000 people forced from their homes, according to figures from Beirut and UNICEF.
Subscribe to the Weekly Newsletter from Spain in English.
A la grave situación en Oriente Medio se suma la extensión de la guerra al Líbano. La soberanía y la integridad territorial de Líbano tiene que preservarse.
— José Manuel Albares (@jmalbares) March 10, 2026
Todas las partes deben cumplir íntegramente la resolución 1701 del Consejo de Seguridad, y el acuerdo de alto el fuego. pic.twitter.com/wzTXZ4WKHj
Please support us with a donation.
Click here to get your business activity or services listed on our DIRECTORY.