The Spanish Embassy in Iran stages its reopening and “resumes its commitment to peace”

Eduardo González The Spanish Embassy in Tehran has reopened its doors with a commitment to resume its work “supporting peace,” as announced on social media. “The Spanish Embassy in Iran reopens following the ceasefire,” the Embassy posted on social media on Monday. “Ambassador Antonio Sánchez-Benedito Gaspar, along with the diplomatic team and local staff, resumes his work with a commitment to supporting peace,” it continued. “Together with my dedicated team, I reopened the Spanish Embassy in Tehran today to join the efforts for peace in every possible way, following the instructions of Minister José Manuel Albares,” the ambassador himself wrote. The reopening of the embassy was announced on April 9 by Albares during his appearance before the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Congress to report, among other things, on Spain's position regarding the current situation in the Middle East. "I announce that today I have instructed our ambassador in Tehran to return during this time when there is hope for peace and to reopen our embassy in Tehran," he announced, referring to the current two-week ceasefire between Iran and the United States. According to the Wall Street Journal and the BBC, the United States and Iran have reached an agreement to hold another round of talks, following the failure of the first round, which began last Saturday in Islamabad. The ceasefire, in effect since April 7, expires on April 22, and regional mediators—Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt—are trying to convince both sides to extend it for another two weeks to facilitate an agreement and prevent a return of US and Israeli attacks against Iran. The reopening of the embassy in Iran has outraged Israel, whose Foreign Minister, Gideon Sa’ar, wrote on April 9 on the social network X that “the Iranian terrorist regime is resuming the execution of its citizens, protesters, and political dissidents. Spain is reopening its embassy in Tehran. Hand in hand. Shamelessly. An eternal disgrace.” Antonio Sánchez-Benedito was evacuated along with the rest of the embassy staff on March 7, exactly one week after the outbreak of the armed conflict, which began with the US and Israeli offensive against Iran on February 28 and escalated with retaliatory attacks by the Islamic Republic against nearly fifteen countries in the region. The evacuation took place by land across the border with Azerbaijan.

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