"France did not choose this war." At the March 17 defense council, the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy echoed President Macron's language by flatly rejecting President Trump's invitation to secure navigation in the Strait of Hormuz – at least in the absence of any "deconfliction" with Iran.
This stance was welcome after nearly three weeks of a war with no basis in international law. From the outset of the Israeli-American attack on Iran, European states have been divided on this principle, with reactions ranging from explicit condemnation to open support, and everything in between.
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'This is not our war': Europe refuses to be dragged into Trump's war with Iran
"One can oppose a hateful regime while also opposing an unjustified and dangerous military intervention," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez promptly declared, arguing that his country's position was "the same as on Ukraine or Gaza. No to the collapse of international law that protects us all. No to war," justifying his refusal to allow the US to use its air bases on Spanish soil for military operations against Iran.
