Spain to reopen Tehran embassy after US-Iran ceasefire

Spain will reopen its embassy in Tehran to support efforts toward a peaceful resolution following a recently agreed ceasefire between the United States and Iran, Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said Thursday.

Albares said he had instructed Spain's ambassador to Iran, Antonio Sanchez-Benedito, to return to Tehran and resume diplomatic operations after the embassy was temporarily closed on March 7, according to El Pais.

Speaking upon arrival at the Spanish Congress, Albares said the decision reflects the "new situation" created by the two-week ceasefire agreement.

He said he spoke Wednesday with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, to inform him of the move, adding it underscores Madrid's commitment to contributing to "the efforts for peace."

Albares also held talks with several regional counterparts, including the foreign ministers of Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait, as well as Lebanon.

In a call with Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi, he expressed Spain's support in the face of what he described as "brutal and indiscriminate" Israeli attacks on Lebanon, calling them "a disgrace to the conscience of all humanity."

Asked about a Wall Street Journal report that the United States may consider closing military bases in countries that have not supported its actions, including Spain and Germany, Albares said he had no information on the matter.

He said bilateral contacts with Washington regarding the use of the Rota and Moron air bases are ongoing and that both facilities are operating "completely normally."

Iran and the United States announced a two-week truce on Tuesday aimed at paving the way for a final agreement to end the war launched by Washington and Israel against Tehran on Feb. 28, which has left many dead and wounded.

The announcement came less than two hours before the expiration of a deadline that US President Donald Trump had repeatedly extended for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and accept an agreement or face "the destruction of an entire civilization."