Spain refused US permission to use its military bases for attacks on Iran, prompting American aircraft to depart.
Spanish Government Refuses Permission
The Spanish government did not grant permission for the United States to use the jointly managed military bases of Rota and Morón, located in the southern part of the country, for attacks on Iran. “Spanish bases will not be used for this operation and will not be used for any purpose not covered by the agreement with the United States or contrary to the United Nations Charter,” said Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares in an interview with Spanish station Telecinco.
American Aircraft Depart Bases
According to maps available on FlightRadar24, fifteen aircraft left the mentioned bases. On Sunday, nine of them headed to Germany. At least seven landed at the Ramstein US Air Force Base in Germany. Meanwhile, two aircraft took off from Rota heading to southern France. The routes of the remaining aircraft are unknown. As Reuters reminded, Spain mainly hosts aerial tankers on a permanent basis, including the Boeing KC-135 “Stratotanker”.
Great Britain Changes Position
Great Britain initially took a similar position, reportedly blocking the use of the UK-US military base on the Diego Garcia archipelago and the British airport at Fairford base, according to “The Times”. However, the government later changed its position. On Sunday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer explained in a recording posted on X that permission had been granted in connection with “collective self-defense” and only to a limited extent.
“The United States requested permission to use British bases for this specific and limited defensive purpose. We have decided to accept this request to prevent Iran from launching rockets throughout the region,” argued the head of the British government.