ANKARA: Trump, Spain trade tensions escalated as US President Donald Trump ordered Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant to halt trade with Spain over NATO and Iran operations.
Trump called Spain a “terrible partner” in NATO during remarks at the alliance summit in Ankara, Türkiye, according to the source material.
The order followed Madrid’s March directive barring the United States from using joint military bases for operations against Iran.
Spain also closed its airspace to US military flights linked to the Iran conflict, the source said.
Trump criticised NATO allies for what he described as insufficient support for the United States during its war with Iran.
He said Washington had carried out heavy military strikes against Iran and repeated that the US goal was Iran’s denuclearisation.
Read: US-Iran Ceasefire ‘Over,’ Trump Says After New Strikes
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency told airlines to avoid Iran and Iraq airspace until August 31 because of continuing US attacks.
The agency also advised caution over Bahrain, Kuwait, Israel, Jordan, Qatar, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
Senior UAE diplomat Anwar Gargash condemned Iranian attacks on Saudi and Qatari commercial tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and aggression against Bahrain and Kuwait.
