Austria denies permission to the US
The Austrian government has rejected US requests for military flights to use Austrian airspace, citing its policy of neutrality.
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Austrian Defense Ministry spokesperson Michael Bauer stated in a press release that, in accordance with its policy of neutrality, the US was not granted permission to use Austrian airspace for military operations against Iran.
Bauer said, "Requests were made, and they were rejected from the very beginning." Bauer noted that each incident would be evaluated separately in coordination with the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Austria has maintained its neutrality since 1955. The country is surrounded by NATO members to the north, south, and east, while Switzerland, which also holds neutral status, is located to the west.
Switzerland had also announced in March that it had denied the use of its airspace, citing its neutrality.
US President Donald Trump had criticized NATO countries, such as France and Spain, for refusing to allow the use of their airspace for strikes against Iran.