Portugal's foreign minister said a decades-old 1951 treaty covers a recent rise in U.S. aircraft use of the Lajes air base in the Azores, meaning Lisbon's prior authorisation is not required. The left-wing opposition has asked the government to explain the legal basis for the increased flights. The announcement comes as the U.S. mounts a major military build-up in the Gulf amid tensions with Iran, and Portugal reiterated its preference for diplomatic solutions and its commitment to NATO.
Portugal Says 1951 Treaty Covers Increased U.S. Flights At Lajes Air Base
U.S. military planes on the tarmac of Lajes air base in Terceira island, Azores, Portugal, February 21, 2026. REUTERS/Pedro Nunes
LISBON — Portugal's foreign minister said on Monday that a recent increase in U.S. aircraft activity at the Lajes air base in the Azores is covered by a long-standing 1951 bilateral treaty and does not require prior authorisation from Lisbon.
The country's left-wing opposition has pressed the centre-right government to explain the legal basis for the uptick in U.S. military flights and to confirm whether Portugal formally approved the operations. The surge in activity comes as the United States conducts what it describes as its largest military build-up in the Gulf since 2003 amid rising tensions with Iran.
FILE PHOTO: Portugal's Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel announces that the Portuguese government recognizes a Palestinian state, during a statement ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, U.S., September 21, 2025. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File Photo
NO BREACH OF AGREED RULES
Speaking to reporters in Brussels, Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel said there has been "a more intensive use of the Lajes base in recent weeks," but stressed that this did not violate the conditions agreed between Portugal and the United States under the 1951 treaty.
"(The increased use) does not need to be authorised, nor known, by Portugal," Rangel told reporters. "Look at the past 50 or 60 years and you will see it has always been this way... and that is how it will continue. We fulfill our obligations."
Rangel reiterated Portugal's long-standing preference for diplomatic solutions to international crises, including tensions surrounding Iran, and urged disputes to be settled peacefully. He also reaffirmed Portugal's commitment to its alliance with the United States and to NATO membership despite shifting geopolitical circumstances.
U.S. military planes on the tarmac of Lajes air base in Terceira island, Azores, Portugal, February 21, 2026. REUTERS/Pedro Nunes
The Lajes base, located on Terceira Island in the Azores archipelago in the Atlantic, has historically served as a strategic transit and support point for U.S. forces moving between the Americas, Europe and Africa.
(Reporting by Sergio Goncalves; editing by Barbara Lewis)
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