Madrid, Spain – Fields of purple flowers comprise crimson stigmas that make saffron, an important spice in Spain’s nationwide dish, paella.
Saffron provides the rice-based dish its distinctive yellow color and earthy aroma.
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Although the central Spanish area of Castilla-La Mancha grows its personal crop, Spain relies upon largely on Iran for its provide.
This might now be below menace after the United States said in late August that it will launch an “financial onslaught” in opposition to Tehran’s commerce companions across the globe to cripple Iran financially. The United Arab Emirates additionally stated it will droop commerce relations with Iran.
Precisely how Washington would take measures in opposition to all of Iran’s commerce companions stays unclear, though on September 4 the US Treasury Division introduced sanctions on Turkiye’s Golden World Financial institution, which the US accuses of facilitating funds for Iran, CNBC reported.
“This menace from america may very well be an issue for us. Our greatest provider by far is Iran. Then we promote it to markets everywhere in the world,” Jose Luis Guerrero, of CEAE, a Spanish saffron export firm that started in 1904, informed Al Jazeera. “We should fear about it when the US says what motion it can really take.”
Maria Naranjo, director for agrifoods at ICEX, Spain’s state commerce and funding physique, stated Spain was a “notably vital” gateway of saffron into Europe. Two years in the past, Spain accounted for three-quarters of EU imports of saffron from Iran.
“This highlights the function performed by Spanish corporations not solely as importers but additionally in processing, packaging, branding and distributing saffron to worldwide markets,” she informed Al Jazeera.
“In opposition to this background, any potential disruption to commerce flows with Iran wouldn’t essentially lead to a scarcity of saffron for Spanish shoppers or for its use in Spanish delicacies. The impression may very well be extra vital for Spanish corporations concerned in importing, processing, packaging and internationally distributing the product.”
Till the complete particulars of US sanctions are recognized, it is not going to be potential to work out the impression on the Spanish saffron commerce, Naranjo stated.
“We nonetheless have saffron from Castilla-La Mancha. Paella will not be at risk,” she joked.
Analysts say the success of the US technique largely depends upon China, the primary purchaser of Iranian oil and its main buying and selling companion.
“Those that stand with america will reap the rewards of our partnership,” US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has stated. “Those that tether themselves to the Iranian regime ought to anticipate to share within the isolation.”
Washington’s threats in opposition to Iran’s buying and selling companions have despatched alarm bells ringing.
Spain’s business hyperlinks with Iran are minor in contrast with nations like Turkiye and Pakistan.
In 2025, Spanish corporations exported merchandise price $143m to Iran and imported Iranian items price $141m – a complete of virtually 245 million euros ($285m) within the bilateral commerce of products, in response to Spanish authorities figures.
Imports of saffron have been price $61m, greater than 40 % of all imports from Iran.
US-Spain relations, in the meantime, have been strained.
President Donald Trump and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez have beforehand clashed over defence spending amongst NATO member states.
In July, Trump threatened to chop off commerce relations with Spain, saying Madrid had been a “horrible companion in NATO”.
Nevertheless, the menace was not adopted by.
The US and Spain have additionally been at odds over Sanchez’s condemnation of the US-Israel war on Iran, which he stated was “unlawful”.
And whereas the Spanish prime minister condemned Hamas’s assault on southern Israel in 2023, he has additionally criticised Israel’s genocidal warfare on Gaza.
However Vicente Roja, a paella chef from Valencia, the house of Spain’s signature dish, is unfazed.
“Nobody can contact our paella. It’s the essence of Spain. No matter occurs, we’ll get by.”
Spanish persons are famously pleased with paella, and new takes up to now been adopted by light-hearted rebukes.
In 2022, the British grocery store Tesco touched a nerve when it dreamed up a paella sandwich. In response, Spain’s Civil Guard, which is often busy catching criminals, marked World Paella Day.
“The paella sandwich for some is heresy, for others it slaughters good style and will even threaten well being,” it stated on social media, with smiley emojis.
In 2016, Jamie Oliver, the British tv chef, dedicated the same gastronomic offence when he urged including chorizo to the dish. The seemingly innocent suggestion prompted claims that he was a “culinary terrorist”.
