Pedro Sanchez has delivered a blunt four-word message after Donald Trump threatened to cut trade ties with Spain over its stance on the growing conflict with Iran: ‘No to the war.’
Speaking in his first press conference since the US President’s warning, the Spanish Prime Minister made clear Madrid will not back further escalation in the Middle East.
‘Our position can be summed up in four words: no to the war,’ Sanchez said.
The socialist leader warned the conflict could drag on and bring serious consequences around the world, including rising energy prices and economic uncertainty.
‘It is possible this will be a long war, with many casualties and serious global economic consequences,’ he said.
‘We don’t know what will come out of this war, but what we can already see is more economic uncertainty and increases in the price of oil and gas.’
Despite Trump’s threats to slash trade with Spain, Sanchez insisted the country has the financial strength to weather the fallout.
He revealed the government is already studying emergency plans to protect families and businesses if the conflict hits Spain’s economy.
‘The government is studying scenarios and possible measures to help households, workers, companies and the self-employed mitigate the economic impact,’ he said.
Sanchez added that Spain is in a strong position thanks to the country’s economic growth and fiscal policy.
‘Thanks to the dynamism of the Spanish economy and responsible fiscal policy, Spain currently has the resources needed to face this crisis as well.’
He said any support measures would be agreed with unions and business groups, just as happened during the Covid pandemic and the energy crisis.
‘We have the capacity and the political will, and we will do it hand in hand with the social partners as we did during the pandemic, the energy crisis and the tariff crisis,’ he said.
Sanchez also took aim at the growing military escalation, warning history shows how dangerous such conflicts can become.
‘You cannot respond to one illegality with another. That is how the great disasters of humanity begin,’ he said.
While he stressed Spain ‘repudiates’ Iran’s regime and its repression of citizens, particularly women, he insisted war is not the answer.
‘We reject this conflict and call for a diplomatic and political solution.’
The Prime Minister said Spain will continue evacuating nationals from the Middle East and urged the US, Iran and Israel to halt hostilities before the crisis spirals further.
‘We demand the end of this war,’ he said. ‘The world cannot solve its conflicts with bombs.’
