Portugal’s Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel said the government has reason to believe that the agreement governing the use of the Lajes Air Base by the United States is being respected amid the ongoing conflict involving Iran.
Speaking before the parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs and Portuguese Communities, Rangel referred to the technical understanding regulating the base’s use. The agreement entails responses only to specific attacks, in line with the principles of proportionality and necessity, and excludes targeting civilian infrastructure.
“These are the conditions Portugal set, and we have reasons to believe they have been respected,” he stated, highlighting what he described as “loyal cooperation” from Washington authorities.
Rangel also shared data on recent activity at the base, describing it as minimal compared to the broader military operations involving the United States, Israel, and Gulf nations drawn into the conflict.
Read more about this topic: Portugal admits that the United States may use the Lajes Base for a military operation in Iran without prior notice
According to the minister, since February 15 — 13 days before the start of the Israeli-American air offensive against Iran — there have been 76 landings at Lajes and 25 overflights in Portuguese airspace. “This is not an extraordinary number,” he noted.
The minister stressed that the government has handled the matter transparently and is closely monitoring all movements at the base while maintaining ongoing dialogue with Washington. He also downplayed reports of NATO allies refusing similar requests from the United States to use their military facilities.
“Refusals always exist, but we’re not going to put that in the newspapers,” he added.
