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The Israeli legal organization Shurat HaDin filed a formal complaint on Tuesday with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague against Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, accusing him of complicity in war crimes for allowing the export of dual-use components related to explosives to Iran.
The complaint was filed under Article 15 of the Rome Statute and is based on Spanish exports to Iran valued at approximately 1.3 million euros between 2024 and 2025, which, according to Cadena Ser, would include detonators, explosives of types A, B, and E, laboratory reagents, and control software.
Shurat HaDin argues that these materials are not mere industrial products, but rather critical elements for the functioning of explosive devices, and that their use against the civilian population was "foreseeable and likely" given Iran's history as a financier of armed groups.
The central legal argument rests on the principle of complicity in international criminal law: one who provides essential means for the commission of a crime may be considered an accomplice, even if they are not the direct perpetrator.
The organization points out that Iran has been arming groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis for years, who use rockets and explosive systems against civilian areas, and that the components exported by Spain may have contributed to these attacks.
The complaint also includes an accusation of political incoherence: while Sánchez openly criticizes Israel in international forums, his government has allegedly allowed the transfer of materials that strengthened the military capabilities of Tehran and its allies.
In addition to this complaint presented to international bodies, there are previous allegations—although not subject to judicial proceedings—regarding the exportation of Spanish military material that is believed to have been used by the Cuban regime for internal repression.
Reports from human rights organizations and journalistic investigations have warned in recent years about the sale of crowd control materials, technology equipment, surveillance systems, and other dual-use supplies that may have enhanced the capacity for control and persecution against the civilian population on the island.
These accusations, although they have not led to legal proceedings like the current case linked to Iran, have fueled criticism of Madrid's foreign policy and its relationship with governments identified for human rights violations.
The geopolitical context exacerbates the accusation. When the U.S. and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury against Iran, Spain refused to authorize the use of its military bases in Rota and Morón for support operations, which triggered a diplomatic crisis with Washington.
At the end of March, Spain went further and closed its airspace to U.S. military aircraft related to the conflict, while on March 2 the Iranian Embassy publicly thanked Madrid for its stance.
Media affiliated with the Iranian regime spread images of a missile featuring the likeness of Sánchez and the message "Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister".
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