Pedro Sánchez Rejects Trump Trade Threat, Says ‘No to War’ as EU Backs Spain

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has delivered a forceful response to US President Donald Trump’s threat to sever trade ties, declaring that Spain stands for peace, international law and multilateralism, not escalation.

In a 10-minute televised address from the prime minister’s official residence in Madrid, Sánchez reflected on the wars in Ukraine, Gaza, and the 2003 Iraq War, arguing that history had shown the devastating consequences of military interventions that sidestep international legality. “Our position can be summed up in three words: no to war,” Sánchez said, warning that “you cannot answer one illegality with another,” because that path leads to wider global catastrophe.

Tensions escalated after President Trump threatened to impose a full trade embargo on Spain following Madrid’s refusal to allow the United States to use the jointly operated military bases at Morón and Rota for potential strikes against Iran. “Spain has been terrible,” Trump said during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. “We’re going to cut off all trade with Spain. We don’t want anything to do with Spain.”

Spain hosts key US military installations under long-standing bilateral defence agreements, and access to these bases has historically required coordination and political consent from Madrid. Spanish officials maintain that any offensive military use of the facilities must align with Spain’s foreign policy stance and international law obligations.

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The threat triggered swift reactions across Europe. The Élysée Palace confirmed that French President Emmanuel Macron expressed solidarity with Spain during a call with Sánchez, while European Council President António Costa conveyed the European Union’s full backing. German Chancellor Merz clarified that the United States could not negotiate selective trade arrangements with individual EU member states, underscoring that trade policy falls under EU competence rather than national authority.

Spain’s Economy Ministry signaled it was assessing contingency measures in case of economic retaliation, although Sánchez avoided directly repeating Trump’s trade embargo language during his address. He stressed that the government was studying ways to shield Spanish businesses and households from potential fallout.

Trump also criticized Spain for failing to meet NATO’s proposed 5% of GDP defence spending target, calling the country a “terrible partner” in the alliance. Spain currently spends significantly less than that benchmark, though it has pledged gradual increases in line with NATO commitments. Earlier this year, Sánchez had drawn criticism from Washington for opposing a US military incursion into Venezuela, reinforcing perceptions of policy divergence between Madrid and Washington.

Despite tensions, Sánchez reiterated Spain’s solidarity with nations “illegally attacked by the Iranian regime,” while maintaining that military escalation was not the solution.

Sánchez invoked Spain’s experience during the 2003 Iraq invasion, recalling the meeting of the so-called “Azores trio” — then-US President George W. Bush, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, and Spain’s then conservative leader José María Aznar — shortly before the invasion. He argued that the Iraq War left Europe with “a more insecure world and worse life,” suggesting that strikes on Iran could similarly destabilize global markets and harm ordinary citizens through rising energy prices and economic uncertainty.

The Iraq reference resonates strongly in Spain, where mass anti-war protests preceded the 2004 general election. Many analysts believe public anger over the war contributed to the Socialist Party’s surprise electoral victory days after the Madrid train bombings.

Sánchez’s stance aligns with Spain’s broader foreign policy posture on the Middle East. His government has been one of Europe’s most outspoken critics of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza following the 2023 Hamas attacks. Spain described Israel’s actions as genocide and moved to recognize a Palestinian state earlier than many EU counterparts, a position that has support among Sánchez’s left-wing coalition partners and segments of Spanish public opinion.

The transatlantic clash comes at a delicate moment for Sánchez’s coalition government, which has faced mounting political pressure and corruption allegations involving allies. His parliamentary majority depends on a complex alliance of left-wing and regional nationalist parties.

However, confronting Trump could carry electoral advantages. A recent survey by Spain’s CIS research institute found that 77% of Spaniards hold a bad or very bad opinion of Trump, suggesting broad domestic backing for Sánchez’s defiance.

Uncertainty remains over whether Trump’s rhetoric will translate into concrete economic measures. Spain exports billions of euros in goods to the United States annually, including automobiles, pharmaceuticals, olive oil, and industrial machinery. A full trade embargo would significantly disrupt bilateral commerce and ripple across EU markets.

For now, Spain is emphasizing diplomacy, European unity, and adherence to international law, while businesses and citizens await clarity on whether the standoff will escalate into tangible economic consequences.

Pedro Sánchez Rejects Trump Trade Threat, Says ‘No to War’ as EU Backs Spain

Mystery as Iranian Warship Sinks off Sri Lanka, Over 100 Feared Missing

An Iranian warship has sunk off the coast of Sri Lanka, triggering a major search and rescue operation after authorities confirmed that 32 people were rescued while several bodies were recovered from the sea.

Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister, Vijitha Herath, told parliament on Wednesday that the vessel, identified as IRIS Dena, went down in waters off the island nation.

Initial reports from sources within the Sri Lanka Navy and the defence ministry suggested the ship may have been attacked by a submarine, with at least 101 people unaccounted for following the incident in the Indian Ocean.

However, a navy spokesman dismissed the claim that over 100 people were missing, describing the figure as inaccurate. He also rejected speculation about the cause of the sinking, saying investigations were still ongoing.

The rescued sailors, who sustained injuries during the incident, are receiving treatment at a state-run hospital in the southern port city of Galle.

According to naval authorities, a distress call was received from the Iranian vessel, prompting a swift joint rescue effort by the navy and the Sri Lanka Air Force. Search operations were immediately launched in the affected area of the Indian Ocean.

While defence sources hinted at a possible underwater attack, officials stressed that the exact circumstances surrounding the sinking remain unclear, and no group or country has been identified as responsible.

The incident has raised fresh security concerns in the strategically sensitive Indian Ocean region, as authorities continue efforts to account for all crew members and determine what led to the vessel’s sudden loss.

US Military Says It Has Struck Nearly 2,000 Targets in Iran as War Escalates

The United States military says it has struck nearly 2,000 targets inside Iran as part of a large‑scale military campaign launched over the past week, marking one of the most intense offensives in the region in decades. The operation — coordinated with Israel — has rapidly expanded the conflict, drawing in multiple fronts and prompting sharp responses from Tehran.

According to Admiral Brad Cooper, head of United States Central Command (CENTCOM), American forces have carried out sustained day‑and‑night strikes using more than 2,000 munitions against Iranian military and strategic infrastructure. “We’ve already struck nearly 2,000 targets with more than 2,000 munitions,” Cooper said in an operational update, adding that the US has severely degraded Iran’s air defenses and destroyed hundreds of ballistic missiles, launchers, and drones.

The strikes form part of what CENTCOM officials are calling an unprecedented operation, described by some military analysts as the largest build‑up of firepower in the Middle East in a generation. Cooper said the US campaign has targeted a wide range of military assets, including missile batteries and launchers, air defence systems and radar sites, naval vessels — including 17 Iranian ships and a submarine — command and control centres, and drone and UAV facilities. Cooper also asserted that the Iranian navy has been effectively neutralised in key waterways. “Today, there is not a single Iranian ship underway in the Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz or Gulf of Oman,” he said, highlighting the sweeping impacts of the strikes.

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The Pentagon has compared the pace and scale of the initial strikes to the “shock and awe” campaign during the 2003 Iraq invasion, with the number of targets hit in the first 24 hours described as nearly double that earlier offensive. US officials say the current campaign — sometimes referred to as Operation Epic Fury — continues around the clock as forces aim to eliminate Tehran’s ability to project power.

Iran has responded vigorously, launching hundreds of ballistic missiles and thousands of drones at US bases and allied positions across the Gulf region, including strikes against American facilities in Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. The volatility has sparked fears of a wider regional conflict, with both sides trading increasingly severe attacks. Tehran’s Revolutionary Guard has made conflicting claims about control of strategic waterways like the Strait of Hormuz, suggesting that Iran maintains dominance even as US and allied forces press their assault. Independent verification of these claims remains difficult amid the fog of war.

Beyond military dynamics, the conflict has disrupted global energy markets and raised concerns about the safety of key shipping lanes. President Donald Trump has indicated that the US Navy may escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz if necessary, aiming to keep energy flows stable and reassure global markets. The massive number of targets hit reflects the breadth of the US strategy, which combines air, naval, missile and cyber capabilities to degrade Iran’s defence posture. CENTCOM has deployed tens of thousands of troops, hundreds of aircraft, carriers, and bombers to sustain the pressure.

Humanitarian organisations estimate that hundreds of Iranian civilians have been killed, and thousands more injured, as the conflict continues to escalate, drawing international concern over civilian harm and the legal basis for such large‑scale offensive operations. As the military campaign unfolds, analysts warn that the conflict has the potential to widen, involving more actors across the Middle East and prompting further diplomatic and economic fallout.

US Military Says It Has Struck Nearly 2,000 Targets in Iran as War Escalates