Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has responded to a reported US threat to suspend Spain from NATO for not cooperating in a military operation against Iran. Speaking at a European Union summit in Nicosia on Friday, Sánchez described Spain as a reliable NATO member and said he was not concerned about speculation surrounding an internal Pentagon email.

According to Reuters, cited by AFP, the email discussed possible punitive measures against NATO allies that refused to join the Iran-related operation, including the potential suspension of Spain. Sánchez emphasized that Spain fulfills all its NATO responsibilities and bases its decisions on official documents and declared US policy, not on leaked communications. He reiterated that Spain supports full cooperation with NATO within the framework of international law.

The report notes that NATO’s founding treaty does not explicitly provide for suspension or expulsion of members. Amid tensions over the Iran conflict, US President Donald Trump has expressed dissatisfaction with allies such as Spain, France, and Italy for denying US military aircraft access to their bases or airspace, calling NATO a “paper tiger.”