A diplomatic dispute has emerged between the United States and Spain after the White House said Madrid had agreed to cooperate with U.S. military operations, a claim that Spanish officials quickly and firmly rejected.

The disagreement surfaced after the White House announced that Spain had signaled willingness to assist U.S. forces during the escalating confrontation with Iran.

According to statements from Washington, Spanish authorities had indicated they would coordinate with American military officials following strong messages from President Donald Trump urging greater support from allies.

Within hours of those remarks, Spain’s government denied that any such shift had taken place.

Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares stated that Madrid’s policy had not changed and that Spain had not agreed to support U.S. military operations linked to the conflict.

He said the Spanish government’s stance regarding the Middle East war and the use of Spanish territory for military actions remained exactly the same as before.

The disagreement follows a period of rising tension between Washington and Madrid over the use of military bases in southern Spain jointly operated by the two countries.

Spain previously refused to authorize their use for strikes on Iran that were not covered by international legal frameworks, a decision that drew criticism from American officials.

President Trump responded sharply to Spain’s refusal, warning that the United States could consider cutting trade ties with the European country if it continued to resist cooperation during the conflict.

The remarks were part of a broader push by the administration to encourage allied governments to contribute more actively to the military effort and to support American forces operating across the Middle East.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has maintained a critical stance toward the military campaign, arguing that the conflict risks escalating instability in the region.

Spanish leaders have repeatedly emphasized their preference for diplomatic solutions and have said their government will not authorize military actions that it believes fall outside existing agreements or international law.

The dispute has introduced uncertainty into relations between two long-standing allies whose defense cooperation includes shared use of strategic bases such as Rota and Morón, installations that play a significant role in U.S. and NATO operations in Europe and the Mediterranean.

Despite the conflicting public statements, officials in both capitals have indicated that military and diplomatic channels remain open as the situation develops.

The episode underscores the challenges of maintaining allied unity as the conflict with Iran reshapes security calculations across the transatlantic alliance.