Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares stated in an interview with Europe Today that the military intervention by the US and Israel in Iran is not supported by UN treaties and international law, and he condemned Iran's retaliatory actions as "unjustified."
"Unilateral actions" by the US and Israel in Iran "are not supported by the UN Charter or international law," said Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares in an interview with Euronews' morning program "Europe Today."
Speaking live on Monday morning, Albares also condemned Iran's retaliatory strikes on a number of other Middle Eastern countries as "unjustified" and called on the European Union to be the "voice of reason" amid dangerous escalation.
"We condemn every violation of human rights by the Iranian regime and we stand with the people of Iran. We want to protect them, we want to protect their freedom," Albares said.
But he added that as the conflict spills over into a broader region, Spain and the European Union "must be the voice of reason, a voice that tries to bring some balance to what is happening, that speaks of de-escalation and a return to diplomacy and negotiations."
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is the only EU leader to openly condemn Saturday's US-Israeli strikes on Iran, which have provoked an escalation of conflict in the region.
Sánchez's government has bolstered its reputation as the most critical of US President Donald Trump's interventionist foreign policy in Europe and one of the harshest critics of Israel's war in Gaza.
"Violence will not lead to peace, nor will there be democracy and stability," Albares stated on Monday. "Therefore, we will truly promote de-escalation and a return to the negotiating table."
Tehran, however, has stated that it will not return to the negotiating table with the US as bombings continue for the third day.
Before Saturday's intervention, Iran and the US were engaged in negotiations in Oman regarding Iran's nuclear and missile programs.
Albares also responded to comments made by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar in an interview with Euronews on Sunday, in which he claimed that Spain sides with "global tyrants."
"This is absurd and ridiculous. Spain has a consistent foreign policy," Albares replied, emphasizing that Spain "consistently" implements its position on global conflicts around the world.
"Very few countries in the world can say that," he added. "We have a consistent voice in the world, and we will continue to do so, regardless of whether someone likes it or not."
