Videos and photos circulating online showed Iranians placing stickers of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on missiles before presumably launching them at Israel. Through this unexpected gesture, Iranians appear to be expressing their gratitude to the international leader for vehemently condemning the ongoing war, which started on February 28 with the US and Israel’s joint military offensive against Tehran.

Iran places Spanish PM’s sticker on missiles before Israel attack

“Of course, this war is not only illegal, but also inhuman,” read one such sticker put on the Iranian missile. “Thank you, Prime Minister.” The label also features a photo of Sanchez condemning the US-Israeli military strikes on Iran while speaking to reporters. Nonetheless, the gesture seems ironic, as Iran ultimately used these very missiles marked with such “anti-war” paraphernalia to launch its retaliatory strikes on Israel.

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Another such sticker seen in the video showed the Iranians extending similar sentiments of gratitude to those “who express sympathy in London or Trump’s war crimes in Iran.”

It came along with a post on X highlighting how demonstrators rallied in support of Iran and denounced the 2026 Minab school attack in Iran. The bombing of the primary school in southern Iran led to the deaths of around 150 people, leaving almost 100 wounded. The majority among the deceased were believed to be children.

What Spain’s PM Pedro Sanchez said about the Iran war

Sanchez particularly stood out among European leaders by summarising his government’s “no to war” position. The Spanish PM even doubled down on the anti-war approach as US President Donald Trump threatened to cut off al trade with Spain over the administration’s refusal to help America’s attacks against Iran.

Sanchez, who has long stationed himself as a staunch critic of Israel’s conduct in Gaza, directly addressed Trump’s claims earlier this month, saying, his country would “not be complicit in something that is bad for the world – and that is also contrary to our values ​​and interests – simply out of fear of reprisals from someone.”

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He previously urged the US, Israel and Iran to stop the war before it was too late. “You can’t respond to one illegality with another because that’s how humanity’s great disasters begin,” he added.

“You can’t play Russian roulette with the destiny of millions … Nobody knows for sure what will happen now. Even the objectives of those who launched the first attack are unclear. But we must be prepared, as the proponents say, for the possibility that this will be a long war, with numerous casualties and, therefore, with serious economic consequences on a global scale.”

Despite opposing the Iranian regime, Sanchez has described the US-Israeli attacks as “unjustified, dangerous military intervention,” which violate international law.

This past week, the Spanish PM even unveiled a $5.7 billion support package to aid households and businesses impacted by the economic fallout of the Iran war. Highlighting the rises in fuel and fertilizer prices, he said, “It is already provoking the first shockwaves of a global economic earthquake,” adding, “Even though we do not support this illegal war, we will do whatever it takes.”

Expressing frustration with global leadership, he asserted, “This is money that could have gone to scholarships, healthcare or social care, but will instead be used to protect our economy, businesses and the most vulnerable.” Further stressing his “no to war” stance, he noted, “No plan, however ambitious, can neutralize all the damage caused by this illegal war. That is why we must continue to demand an end to the war, respect for international law and say clearly: no to war.”