GENEVA 

Spain’s Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said on Thursday that a unilateral intervention by the US would not bring stability to Iran, and stressed that no solution for Venezuela can be imposed from outside.

Speaking before the plenary session in the Spanish Congress, according to Spanish state broadcaster RTVE, Albares said: "Unilateral external action is not going to provide stability to Iran, which is what it needs at the moment."

He said the priority should be to avoid instability and called on Iranian authorities to respect freedom of expression and the right to peaceful protest, as well as to restore communication with the outside world. He urged everyone to "avoid situations of chaos."

Albares also rejected the use of the death penalty against demonstrators and said Spain is closely monitoring the situation in Iran, which he described as "very complicated."

He noted that Spain has advised its nationals in the country to leave while commercial means remain available and urged those still there to remain in contact with the Spanish embassy. He added that currently in Iran, there are some 140 nationals and diplomatic personnel, who at the moment are not considering evacuating.

Future of Venezuela should be decided by Venezuelans

Turning to Venezuela, Albares said Spain’s position is clear that “no solution for Venezuela can be imposed from the exterior,” stressing that the future of the country must be decided by Venezuelans themselves through peaceful means.

His remarks came amid heightened tensions following recent actions by the US in the country.

The Spanish foreign minister said the current global context shows that international rules are under serious strain and called for a renewed alliance in defense of multilateralism.

He underlined the importance of respecting international law, the UN Charter and state sovereignty, saying peace and stability are only possible when disputes are resolved peacefully.

"Venezuela, Gaza, Ukraine, Iran — everything is connected," Albares said, warning that violations of international law ultimately undermine democracies and global security.