“The Lajes have always been very important as part of the strategic relationship between the United States and Portugal, not only for military operations, as has recently been reported.”, declared Douglas A. Koneff.
The American diplomat was speaking in Ponta Delgada, on the sidelines of an initiative by the FLAD-Luso American Development Foundation, celebrating 40 years in partnership with the Government of the Azores, focused on twinned cities and municipalities between Portugal and the United States.
Douglas A. Koneff cited other reasons for using the Lajes base, including humanitarian assistance and rescue flights, noting that collaboration with the military has “extended for many years and will continue.”
When asked about the importance of the Lajes base in the recent U.S. military intervention in Iran, Douglas A. Koneff stated that he cannot “go into details about specific military operations,” but said that this infrastructure in the Azores “has been of extreme importance to both countries.”
For the Iranian ambassador in Lisbon, “if someone participates in a war, they are part of that aggression.” Therefore, he will question the Portuguese government about Portugal’s “neutrality” in the U.S. attack. The Left is also seeking clarifications, expressing dissatisfaction with the government’s explanations.
Natacha Nunes Costa | 09:47 – 24/06/2025
The chargé d’Affaires did not elaborate on whether the United States will close the consulate in Ponta Delgada, the oldest in the world, as the review process of consular and embassy structures is not yet complete, with expectations for its conclusion by the end of the year.
Meanwhile, the Portuguese ambassador in Washington, Francisco Duarte Lopes, also speaking to journalists, stated that “the indications given so far to the government through the U.S. embassy in Lisbon are that there are no plans to close any diplomatic missions in Portugal, including the consulate in Ponta Delgada.”
The United States and Portugal hold a bilateral agreement on defense and cooperation, which includes the provision of military facilities at the Lajes base.
