denied the US the use of military bases<\/a> in the peninsula for further attacks against Iran earlier this week.\u00a0<\/p>\n\u201cI could tomorrow, or today, even better, stop everything having to do with Spain, all business having to do with Spain,\u201d Trump said on Tuesday.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The US president also justified the move, alluding to Spain\u2019s refusal to pay more to meet Nato spending target.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t want anything to do with Spain,\u201d he told reporters in the White House, saying that Spain has been \u201cterrible\u201d and suggesting \u201cto cut off all trade\u201d between Washington and Madrid.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018No to war\u2019<\/p>\n
The comments took place with German chancellor Friedrich Merz in the room. Merz has taken a very different approach from S\u00e1nchez, arguing that \u00a0\u201cthis is not the time to lecture our partners and allies\u201d over potential breaches of international law.<\/p>\n
In response to Trump\u2019s comments, Spain\u2019s socialist prime minister S\u00e1nchez redoubled his stand, saying that the country\u2019s position regarding the war on Iran could be clearly stated in few words: \u201cNo to war\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cTwenty-three years ago, another US administration dragged us into a war in the Middle East. A war that, in theory, it was said at the time, was being fought to eliminate Saddam Hussein\u2019s weapons of mass destruction, bring democracy and ensure global security,\u201d S\u00e1nchez also said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIn reality, seen in perspective, it produced the opposite effect; it unleashed the greatest wave of insecurity that our continent has suffered since the fall of the Berlin wall,\u201d he added.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Iraq war generated a drastic increase in jihadist terrorism, a serious migration crisis in the eastern Mediterranean and a generalised increase in energy prices \u2026 and living costs,\u201d S\u00e1nchez also said.<\/p>\n