Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has pushed back against threats from US President Donald Trump to sever trade ties with Spain, warning that the expanding conflict in the Middle East is akin to “playing Russian roulette with the destiny of millions.”
Sánchez’s response came after Trump criticised Madrid for refusing to allow the United States to use jointly operated military bases in southern Spain for attacks against Iran. During a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump said Spain had been “terrible” and revealed he had directed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to halt trade dealings with the country.
In a national address, Sánchez reiterated his government’s stance with a clear message: “No to war.” He said Spain would not support actions that contradict its principles or global stability. “We’re not going to be complicit in something that’s bad for the world and contrary to our values and interests simply out of fear of reprisals from someone,” he said.
Calling on the US, Israel and Iran to halt hostilities, Sánchez warned against further escalation. “You can’t respond to one illegality with another because that’s how humanity’s great disasters begin,” he said. “You can’t play Russian roulette with the destiny of millions.”
He also referenced the 2003 invasion of Iraq as a cautionary example, noting that the conflict — supported at the time by former Spanish leader José María Aznar — had been justified by claims of eliminating weapons of mass destruction and improving global security, but instead “unleashed the greatest wave of insecurity our continent has suffered since the fall of the Berlin Wall.”
Meanwhile, tensions intensified after a US submarine sank the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean. According to reports, at least 87 people were killed when the vessel — a Moudge-class warship that recently participated in the multinational MILAN naval exercise in India — went down off Sri Lanka’s coast. Sri Lankan authorities said 32 sailors survived while 61 remain missing as search operations continue.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the strike, describing it as proof of America’s military reach. “An American submarine sunk an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters. Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo,” he told reporters.
The escalation comes as the conflict between the US, Israel and Iran enters its fifth day, triggered by US-Israeli airstrikes that reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other senior officials in Tehran.
In Nigeria, the US Embassy in Abuja cancelled visa appointments scheduled for March 4, citing a high risk of protests linked to the conflict. In a security advisory posted online, the mission urged American citizens in the capital to remain indoors and avoid demonstrations.
“Due to the potential for protests in Abuja, the U.S. Embassy in Abuja has cancelled all visa appointments on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. Applicants will be contacted with information on how to reschedule,” the embassy said.
Despite the warning, the embassy confirmed that its consular section in Abuja and the US Consulate General in Lagos remain operational.
