Spain’s acting defense minister, Margarita Robles, said that the Spanish frigate Mendez Nunez has been pulled out of a US-led naval group in the Persian Gulf because American authorities have changed the original mission.
Robles insisted that the decision is technical, not political, and that the warship will rejoin the fleet one its reaches the Indian Ocean.
Spain respects Washington’s choice. “We respect the decision and when things go back to what was planned with the Spanish Navy the Nunez will rejoin the mission.
Spain has withdrawn a frigate from a U.S.-led naval battle group in the Persian Gulf because it was now focusing on alleged threats from Iran rather than an agreed objective to mark an historic seafaring anniversary.
While the European Union shares some U.S. concerns about Iran, including its involvement in Syria’s war, it still backs a 2015 international nuclear deal with Tehran from which U.S. administration withdrew a year ago.
The US regime, now trying to isolate Iran, has reimposed sanctions on it and sent the aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Middle East in a move Washington said aimed to offset threats from Iran to American forces in the region.
The Pentagon is also seeking to cut off Iran’s oil exports to pressure the Islamic Republic to renegotiate stricter limits on its nuclear program and drop support for proxy forces in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen.
Reuters / ABC Flash Point WW III News 2019.
