War Crime Accusation Against Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez Over Support for Iran’s Terror Machine

According to Breitbart, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez faces a complaint at the International Criminal Court, accused of his government strengthening Iran’s “terror machine” through exports of dual-use products. The legal team behind the complaint argues that responsibility for war crimes extends to those who provide the means to carry them out.

The complaint, submitted on Tuesday by the Israeli legal organization Shurat HaDin under Article 15 of the Rome Statute, calls on prosecutors in The Hague to open a criminal investigation and consider issuing an arrest warrant against Sánchez and other senior officials of his government.

Shurat HaDin claims that the Spanish socialist government approved the transfer of approximately 1.3 million euros worth of dual-use components to Iran in 2024 and 2025, implying materials related to detonators and explosive systems. According to the complaint, these materials were not merely innocent industrial goods but essential elements enabling the operation of explosive devices, transported under conditions where their use in attacks against civilians was anticipated.

At the core of the case is the assertion that materials classified as dual-use goods function as key components in military systems. Shurat HaDin emphasizes that under international law, supplying elements that make weapons operational may constitute assistance in war crimes and crimes against humanity, even when classified as dual-use.

The complaint also points out that Iran, described as the leading state sponsor of terrorism, has long armed terrorist groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas, which rely on such systems and rockets to attack civilians. Moreover, Iranian state sources have circulated videos and images showing ballistic missiles adorned with stickers featuring Sánchez, accompanied by the message: “Thank you, Prime Minister”, following the Spanish leader’s condemnation of US-Israeli military operations.

Israeli officials reported that the Iranian regime uses Sánchez’s words on projectiles launched against civilians in Israel and the Arab world.

Although Sánchez has repeatedly condemned US and Israeli military actions—including his recent statements describing the conflict as an “irrational, harsh, and illegal” campaign—his government is accused of facilitating the transfer of components ultimately used by the Iranian regime and its allies.

Within this stance, Sánchez’s socialist government denied American forces access to critical bases and severely restricted the use of Spanish airspace by US aircraft involved in the operation, telling parliamentarians that “all flight plans related to operations in Iran have been rejected”.

However, earlier reports from Spanish media during the initial phase of the operation suggested that transport and supply activities connected to US missions continued to pass through Spanish facilities, highlighting a gap between the political message and operational reality before restrictions were fully implemented.

This policy provoked a strong reaction from Washington, with a White House official stating that the US military “does not need help from Spain or anyone else” to achieve its operational goals.

Relations between Israel and Spain have dramatically worsened since Madrid’s recognition of a Palestinian state in 2024 and its sharp criticism of Israel’s wars against Hamas, with both countries withdrawing their ambassadors.

The escalation of tensions came last Friday when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Spain of a hostile stance toward Israel, removing Madrid from the US-supervised Gaza reconstruction coordination mechanism.

The deterioration of relations included repeated public condemnations, with Israeli officials summoning Spanish diplomats and denouncing Madrid’s rhetoric toward the Jewish state in recent months.

Another move that attracted further criticism was Spain’s announcement that it would reopen its embassy in Tehran during the current calm period, positioning itself as a potential mediator in talks with Iran.

The president of Shurat HaDin, Nitzana Darshan-Leitner, stated that the case focuses on whether supplying components that enable attacks makes officials legally responsible for the consequences. She said:

When a prime minister facilitates, directly or indirectly, the transfer of components that empower the terror machine of the Iranian regime, he cannot continue to present himself as someone acting in the name of human rights.

“It is impossible to condemn Israel on the international stage while simultaneously supporting a regime that arms terrorist organizations and attacks innocent civilians,” she added, stressing that responsibility for war crimes “is not limited only to those who pull the trigger but also extends to those who provide the means that enable the shot.”

There has been no immediate response from Spanish authorities regarding the complaint.