Washington, 1 April 2026 (dpa/MIA) - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticized Spain and other NATO allies for limited support in the war with Iran, suggesting Washington may reassess the alliance after the conflict.

Rubio said the United States had found that Spain, a NATO member it is committed to defend, had denied US use of its airspace and boasted about it, according to a transcript of remarks to Al Jazeera released by his department on Monday. He also said Washington had faced resistance in using military bases in Spain and elsewhere.

NATO is useful to the United States because it allows troops and equipment to be stationed abroad, Rubio said. "But if NATO is just about us defending Europe if they’re attacked but then denying us basing rights when we need them, that’s not a very good arrangement."

"That's a hard one to stay engaged in and say this is good for the United States. So all of that is going to have to be reexamined," Rubio added, stressing that NATO "cannot be a one-way street."

"Let's hope we can fix it. We'll have time to address it after."

Spain recently closed its airspace to flights linked to the Iran war and had earlier barred the United States from using the Rota and Morón bases in Andalusia for operations. The facilities have long been jointly operated by Spain and the US.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO allies for what he sees as insufficient support in the conflict. Article 5 of NATO's mutual defence clause does not apply to the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran.

MIA file photo