Spain reopened its embassy in Tehran on Monday, the Embassy of Spain in Iran announced just days after the United States and Iran reached a temporary ceasefire agreement and failed to make progress in further negotiations.
“Together with my committed team, I have reopened today the Spanish Embassy in Tehran in order to join in efforts for peace from every possible quarter,” Spanish Ambassador to Iran Antonio Sánchez-Benedito Gaspar said on X/Twitter.
Spanish anti-war efforts
Prior to the US-Iran ceasefire agreement, Spain closed its airspace to US planes involved in carrying out Operation Epic Fury against Iran.
Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles announced on March 30 that Spain will not authorize US use of its airspace or military bases, including jointly operated bases, for war efforts.
Spanish officials have been outspoken in their support for the ceasefire and disapproval of the current ceasefire guidelines since the temporary agreement was announced last Wednesday.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez released a statement on X/Twitter on Wednesday, declaring that "ceasefires are always good news" but noting that Spain will not applaud peacemaking efforts put forth by those who started the war.
"The Government of Spain will not applaud those who set the world on fire just because they show up with a bucket," Sanchez stated, urging for further diplomacy.
In a separate post on the same day, Sanchez strongly condemned Lebanon’s exclusion from the ceasefire deal and decried Israeli attacks on the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of "contempt for life and international law."
Sanchez further descibed the strikes on Hezbollah as a “violation of international law," urged the international community to condemn the counterterrorism efforts as well, and demanded that the European Union suspend its Association Agreement with Israel.
Reuters contributed to this report.