Spain has taken the lead in Europe’s response to the US and Israel’s war in Iran, adopting one of the bloc’s strongest public positions since the conflict began on Feb. 28 and helping to shape EU policy.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez publicly condemned the US-Israeli war against Iran, describing it as unlawful and dangerous. In a televised address on March 4, Sanchez stated that Spain’s position was a clear “no to war,” warning that the conflict risked wider regional and global consequences and urging a return to diplomacy.

Spain then translated that stance into policy later in the month. Madrid closed its airspace to all US military aircraft involved in operations linked to the war, after earlier refusing to allow joint US-Spanish bases such as Rota and Moron to be used for those actions. Spanish officials said the measures reflected Spain’s refusal to be complicit in a war Spanish officials have described as illegal and unjust. 

Although Spain is not the only European country to call for deescalation, Pol Morillas, director of the Barcelona Centre for International Affairs, said Madrid stands out for both its rhetoric and its policy — including its early refusal to assist US President Donald Trump’s Middle East military operations. Sanchez’s left-wing Spanish Socialist Workers' Party has paired this stance with consistent opposition to military interventions, from Iraq to Gaza, Ukraine and Venezuela.