The Abraham Lincoln will sail without Spanish support. Madrid Decision

(B2) Spain has temporarily withdrawn its frigate engaged alongside the American aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln in the Gulf

Spain will not enter the Persian Gulf 

The United States had announced on May 5 the deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and its air and sea group in response to a “credible threat from Tehran (read: John Bolton is going to war. USS Abraham Lincoln sent as a warning). If the American maritime group has indeed crossed the Suez Canal with the frigate Mendez Nuñez, it is currently heading for the Strait of Hormuz to enter the Gulf separating Iran from the Arabian Peninsula, without the Spanish ship.

The American decision goes beyond the established framework 

Entering the Gulf with B-52 bombers, with the tensions that exist ", it is a decision that " exceeds the terms of the agreement concluded with Spain said the Spanish Minister of Defense in a press briefing held on the sidelines of the meeting of EU Defense Ministers on Tuesday (14 May) in Brussels.

Spain insists on the technical character

Margarita Robles rejects any dramatization and similarity to the withdrawal of Spanish troops from Iraq in 2007.” The decision is not political. It has nothing to do with American disagreements with Iran. "" Spain is a reliable and serious partner” insists the minister, who rather insists on the technical nature of this decision. " We have examined the agreement closely " and " cWhat we are doing is scrupulously respecting the agreement we signed two years ago with Washington. 

A temporary measure  

Withdrawal " temporary will apply as long as the US aircraft carrier is in that area. " When it returns to what was planned, we will continue the deployment as planned explains Robles. Meanwhile, the frigate has set course for the Indian Ocean and will drop anchor in the port of Bombay.   

(Leonor Hubaut)