Spain s PM says no to the war in Iran despite Trump s trade threat

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has again voiced his disapproval of the military actions taken by the U.S. and Israel in Iran. On Wednesday, he stood firmly against trade threats from Washington, cautioning that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East could jeopardize millions of lives. “We will not be part of something harmful to the world and against our values and interests, just because we fear retaliation from anyone,” Sánchez stated in a televised speech. On Tuesday, President Donald Trump threatened to cut off trade with Spain due to the country's refusal to allow the U.S. to use its military bases for attacks on Iran. Sánchez described the U.S. and Israeli operations in Iran as “unjustifiable” and “dangerous.” It remains unclear how Trump could implement trade restrictions on Spain, considering it is part of the European Union, which negotiates trade for all 27 of its member countries. On Wednesday, Sánchez expressed worry that the strikes on Iran might lead to another expensive military situation in the Middle East, similar to previous U.S. interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan. “In short, the position of the government of Spain can be summed up in four words,” Sánchez said. “No to the war.” The EU announced on Wednesday that it would safeguard its interests and strive to maintain its trade relationship with the U.S., having reached a trade agreement last year after a period of economic uncertainty due to Trump’s tariffs. European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill stated, “We stand in full solidarity with all member states and their citizens and are prepared to act if needed to protect EU interests through our common trade policy.”