Spain insists it will not participate in “any military operation” in the Strait of Hormuz

Eduardo González Both Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares and Defense Minister Margarita Robles affirmed this Monday that Spain will not participate in any military operation in the Strait of Hormuz, 48 hours before the end of the truce between Iran and the United States and just three days after the second international conference of “non-belligerent countries” to address the restoration of freedom of navigation in the strait, in which the Spanish government participated. In statements to the program 'Las mañanas' on RNE (Spanish National Radio), Albares asserted that Spain will not participate in any “military operation” in the Strait of Hormuz. “What we would like is for the Strait of Hormuz to eventually become what it once was, and there can be no change to that: it must once again be a strait with free, safe, and unrestricted passage for any ship without discrimination,” he declared. “If there were ever to be a verification process once the war is over, it would have to be carried out by the UN,” he warned. The minister acknowledged that military tensions between Washington and Tehran have increased in recent hours. “That is the scenario we want to avoid, the escalation.” “I invite Iran to come to Islamabad, sit down, and negotiate,” he added. For her part, Margarita Robles stated on the TVE program ‘Mañaneros 360’ that Spain does not plan to participate in mine-clearing missions in the Strait of Hormuz and that the Spanish Armed Forces will only participate in “peacekeeping missions that have an international umbrella from the United Nations or other organizations.” Last Friday, Spain participated in the conference of “non-belligerent countries” convened by French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to address the restoration of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, just two weeks after refusing to do so at the first international meeting on this same topic in London. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez did not attend the Paris conference because it coincided with the first Spain-Brazil Summit, but José Manuel Albares attended in his place. Sources from Moncloa Palace clarified on the same Friday that Spain's participation in this The new meeting on the Strait of Hormuz did not represent any change in the Spanish government's position regarding the armed conflict in the Middle East. Sources affirmed that Spain remains deeply concerned about the situation in Iran and the Gulf due to the war, and specifically about its impact on the Strait of Hormuz and freedom of navigation through it, but clearly opposes any kind of military intervention. Spain had not previously joined these initiatives (including the first conference, convened on April 2nd in London by British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper) because it had doubts about the approach of the coalition being established to resolve this crisis. However, it ultimately decided to participate in this new meeting after concluding that what France, the United Kingdom, and the various countries involved are seeking is to analyze potential initiatives, not to promote military intervention. The same sources did not rule out the possibility that, in the future, once the war has ended, Spain could become involved in an international mission that contributes to restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The Conference The Paris conference was convened by Macron and Starmer (who are coordinating a “strictly defensive multinational mission” to contribute to the restoration of maritime security and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz when conditions permit) and brought together 49 countries (including the in-person participation of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz), as well as the European Union and the International Maritime Organization, with the central objective of addressing the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Ultimately, the leaders called for the “complete, immediate, and unconditional reopening” of the strait by all parties, the restoration of the free passage conditions in place before the war, and full respect for the law of the sea. For his part, Macron announced that France and the United Kingdom would accelerate the planning of a “neutral mission,” distinct from the belligerents, intended to escort and protect merchant ships transiting the area. In this regard, she reported that a planning meeting will be held in London this week. The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, announced at the conference that Europe “will play its part in restoring the free flow of energy and trade” once a ceasefire is consolidated in the region. She also highlighted that the EUNAVFOR Aspides naval mission is already operating in the Red Sea and could be rapidly reinforced to protect shipping throughout the area. This option “could be the quickest way to provide support,” she added.

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