Closing summary
… and on that note, it’s a wrap for today!
For all the latest updates from Iran and the region, follow our Middle East blog here:
And here is our summary of the day in Europe:
Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sánchez has criticised Donald Trump’s attack against Iran, comparing the growing conflict in the Middle East to playing “Russian roulette with the destiny of millions” as he responded to Trump’s extraordinary threat to cut off all trade with Spain (9:10, 9:14, 9:16, 9:20, 9:24).
In a punchy response to Trump’s threats, Sánchez said Spain “will not be complicit in something that is bad for the world … simply out of fear of reprisals from someone” (9:40, 9:54, 13:20).
France’s president Emmanuel Macron has expressed his solidarity with Spain criticising “recent threats of economic coercion” against Madrid, his spokesperson said (13:33).
EU’s internal market commissioner Stéphane Séjourné said “any threat against a member state is a threat against the EU,” as the bloc rallied behind Spain after last night’s trade threats from US president Donald Trump, seemingly unhappy about Madrid’s refusal to back its attack on Iran (13:57, 14:07).
Madrid also expressed its disapproval of German chancellor Friedrich Merz’s comments at the White House last night, in which he appeared to side with Trump and failed to defend Spain from his criticism (10:38).
Several European countries continue their evacuation and repatriation flights from the Middle East using a mix of available commercial and military flights (11:01, 11:07, 17:05).
Separately, the European Commission unveiled plans to boost the competitiveness of the EU’s manufacturing sector during its drive to decarbonise and avoid reliance on cheap Chinese imports by setting local content requirements (15:10), with rules that have an opening that could also benefit non-EU countries, such as the UK (15:29).
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Back to evacuation flights, Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk is the latest EU leader to announce that Poland would use its military planes to help evacuate Polish citizens from the Middle East.
“The appropriate request in this matter has already been submitted to the president,” he said on X after facing growing domestic pressure and criticism over repatriation efforts.
The neighbouring Czech Republic continues its flights from the region, including a mix of military and commercial flights. Slovakia also welcomed first citizens back yesterday, as it continues its operations to pull up to 5,000 Slovaks out of the region, including using military flights.
Meanwhile, some of the first French citizens arriving back talked about complex routes they took to get out of the region, including a taxi trip from Dubai to Muscat in neighbouring Oman.
In Ireland, final preparations are under way as the first flight from Dubai is expected in Dublin this evening, carrying some 400 people.
And Italy’s defence minister Guido Crosetto continues to face questions about his trip to Dubai after he embarrassingly got stranded there in the first hours of the war.
Updated
