Portuguese Prosecutor's Office Investigates US Use of Lajes Air Base to Attack Iran
TEHRAN (Defapress) - The Portuguese prosecutor's office announced that, following a formal complaint from an opposition party, it has opened a judicial investigation into the legality of the authorization granted by the country's center-right government to the United States to use the Lajes air base in the Azores archipelago to attack Iran.
According to long-standing agreements between Washington and Lisbon, the United States is allowed to use the base in peacetime without prior authorization; however, according to security protocols, the use of the base during conflicts and military operations is subject to obtaining authorization and approval from the Portuguese government.
Criticism of siding with Washington
Unlike its neighbor, Spain, Portugal has allowed several American flights to fly over the Lajes air base. The decision was immediately met with widespread criticism from leftist opposition parties and sparked heated debates in Lisbon’s political circles about the country’s role in military operations related to the ongoing conflict with Iran.
The Portuguese Attorney General’s Office confirmed in a statement that the case was opened following a complaint by members of the Left Bloc party. Earlier in April, the party had submitted documents to the prosecutor’s office claiming that the US use of the base was a “flagrant violation of international law.”
Government defense and alleged justifications
On the other hand, Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel defended the government’s actions, claiming that Lisbon was not involved in the conflict. In justifying Washington's use of the base, he claimed: "The use of the Logis base is in accordance with international law and was issued only after receiving assurances from Washington that any possible operation would be defensive, necessary, proportionate and limited solely to military objectives."
This is while the Portuguese Foreign Ministry has refused to provide further details about this judicial investigation, and analysts believe that the opening of this case could put heavy political pressure on the Portuguese government regarding military alliances with the United States.
