Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has dismissed concerns about reports suggesting the US is considering suspending Spain from NATO over its opposition to the war against Iran.
NATO’s founding treaty, signed in 1949, does not include provisions for suspending or expelling member states. The alliance has faced significant criticism from US President Donald Trump since his return to the White House over a year ago.
Speaking in Nicosia, Cyprus, during an EU leaders’ summit, Sánchez responded to questions regarding reports that Washington might restrict Spain’s participation in key NATO roles. “Spain is a reliable partner within NATO, and we fulfill our obligations,” Sánchez said in English.
He went on to emphasise that his government relies on official documents and formal statements, not unspecified emails, allegedly referencing discussions in Washington, as claimed by Reuters.
“The position of the Spanish government is clear: absolute cooperation with our allies, but always within the framework of international law,” Sánchez stated in Spanish.
President Trump has yet to comment on the matter. However, Pentagon spokesperson Kingsley Wilson said in an email to AFP that “as President Trump has noted, despite all the efforts the US has made for our NATO allies, they have not supported us” during the offensive against Iran.
In late February, Sánchez emerged as a prominent critic of the US and Israel’s military actions against Iran, leading Western opposition to the hostilities in the Middle East.
