A ROW between the US and Spain over the war in Iran intensified on Wednesday when the governments exchanged contradictory statements over the possible use of Spanish military bases by US armed forces for operations in the Middle East.

Moments after White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Spain had “heard the president’s message yesterday loud and clear,” and that “they’ve agreed to co-operate with the US military,” Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares came out and flatly denied his country had changed its position.

“I can refute [the White House spokesperson],” Mr Albares told Spanish radio station Cadena Ser. “The position of the Spanish government regarding the war in the Middle East, the bombing of Iran and the use of our bases has not changed one iota.”

The disagreement broke out on Tuesday when US President Trump said that he was going to “cut off all trade with Spain,” a day after Mr Albares said that his government wouldn’t allow the US to use jointly operated bases in southern Spain in any strikes not covered by the United Nations charter. 

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said that his government wouldn’t “be complicit in something that is bad for the world.”