The President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, revived the slogan "No to war," popularized during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, as he outlined Spain's position on the conflict in the Middle East following the attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran and the subsequent military escalation in the region.
In an institutional statement regarding the crisis in the Middle East, Sánchez asserted that the stance of the Spanish government remains consistent with its position on other recent conflicts. “The position of the Government of Spain in this situation is clear and consistent, it is the same as we have maintained in Ukraine or also in Gaza,” he pointed out.
The head of the Executive summarized this stance with a phrase that directly refers to the protests against the Iraq war: “Ultimately, the position of the Spanish government can be summed up in four words: no to war.”
The intervention occurred after the United States and Israel launched an attack against Iran. According to Sánchez, Tehran responded with bombings in several countries in the region and against a British base located in Cyprus.
"Last Saturday, the United States and Israel attacked Iran, which responded by indiscriminately bombing nine countries in the region and a British base located in a European state, in Cyprus," the leader stated in his address.
The President of the Government expressed the solidarity of the Spanish people with the countries affected by the Iranian attacks and warned that the military escalation could have serious consequences both in humanitarian and economic terms.
"We must be prepared —as the promoters have said— for the possibility that it could be a long war, with numerous casualties and, therefore, serious consequences also on a global economic scale," he stated.
Sánchez stated that the Government rejects violations of international law and warned of the risks of repeating historical mistakes. In this regard, he recalled the consequences of the Iraq war that began in 2003.
"Twenty-three years ago, another U.S. administration dragged us into a war in the Middle East," he said, before asserting that that conflict "triggered the greatest wave of insecurity our continent had experienced since the fall of the Berlin Wall."
The head of the Executive defended that opposing the war does not imply supporting the Iranian regime. “We repudiate the regime in Iran, which ruthlessly represses and kills its citizens, especially women. But at the same time, we reject this conflict and call for a diplomatic and political solution,” he stated.
In his remarks, he also warned that Spain will not support military actions that go against its principles out of fear of potential pressures or political consequences.
"We are not going to be accomplices of something that is harmful to the world and also contradicts our values and interests simply out of fear of reprisals from someone," he stated.
The statement comes amid diplomatic tensions between Washington and Madrid. The President of the United States, Donald Trump, threatened to cut off trade negotiations with Spain after the Spanish government refused to authorize the use of the military bases in Rota and Morón in the context of the conflict. Trump stated that he could terminate all bilateral negotiations and trade with Spain and claimed that the European country has been “a terrible ally.”
In light of the deteriorating situation in the Middle East, the Spanish government also announced that it is working on the evacuation of Spanish citizens in the region and preparing economic measures to mitigate the impact of the conflict.
"The foreign service and the army are working day and night to organize evacuation operations," Sánchez stated, acknowledging that the operations are "very delicate" due to the insecurity of the airspace and the disruptions in the regional airport network.
The president also stated that Spain will collaborate with other countries and the European Union to promote a coordinated response and continue calling for the end of hostilities.
"We must demand that the United States, Iran, and Israel stop before it's too late," he concluded.
Sánchez himself reinforced his message on social media by stating in a post on X that the Spanish government's position can be summarized as “no to war,” and later recalled the precedent of 2003 in another message where he wrote “NO TO WAR.”
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