Iran urges Bulgaria to reconsider US military aircraft deployment

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has urged Bulgaria to reconsider its decision to temporarily allow US military aircraft to be stationed at Bezmer Air Base, Iranian state media reported on Thursday.

In a phone call with his Bulgarian counterpart Velislava Petrova-Tsamova, Araghchi said Sofia’s approval of a US request to deploy military aircraft at the base in support of military operations facilitates aggression against Iran. He stressed that the move was unacceptable and contradicted the friendly relations between the two countries.

Tehran has repeatedly warned countries that permit their territory to be used for US military operations against Iran that they could face consequences.

Araghchi also held a separate phone call with Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos, emphasizing the importance of not allowing foreign military bases in Cyprus to be used for operations against Iran.

Last week, Bulgaria’s parliament approved the temporary deployment of up to eight US KC-135 refueling aircraft and up to 250 personnel at Bezmer Air Base, despite objections from Iran. Bulgaria has stated that no offensive weapons will be deployed and that the move does not make it a party to military operations.

Cyprus hosts two British sovereign military bases, including RAF Akrotiri, which was targeted by an Iranian drone in early March following strikes by Israel and the United States against Iran.

At the start of the conflict, Britain agreed to a US request to use its bases for defensive strikes against Iranian missiles, but later clarified that RAF Akrotiri would not be included in the defense agreement with the US. This arrangement continued in July when new Prime Minister Andy Burnham took office, prompting Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to warn London against facilitating US military operations targeting Iran.