TEHRAN: Iran urged Bulgaria on Thursday to reverse its approval for a temporary US tanker-aircraft deployment at Bezmer Air Base, warning that facilitating attacks on Iranian territory would bring consequences.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi made the demand during a call with Bulgarian counterpart Velislava Petrova-Chamova, according to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency.
Araqchi called Sofia’s decision unacceptable and inconsistent with the countries’ traditionally friendly relations. He said any party involved in a military attack against Iran would bear responsibility for the consequences.
Bulgaria’s parliament approved the deployment on July 22 by 136 votes to 13, with two abstentions. The authorisation covers up to eight US KC-135 refuelling aircraft and 250 personnel from July 24 to October 1.
Bezmer Air Base lies about 260 kilometres southeast of Sofia. The United States and Bulgaria operate it jointly under a 2006 defence agreement.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said no combat operations would launch from Bulgarian territory. He described the deployment as logistical support for aerial refuelling missions outside Bulgarian airspace.
Petrova-Chamova also told Araqchi that Bulgaria did not intend to participate in the war. She reaffirmed Sofia’s support for diplomacy and regional de-escalation.
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Araqchi separately urged Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos to prevent foreign bases in Cyprus from supporting attacks on Iran. Kombos said Britain had assured Nicosia that its bases on the island would not be used against Iran, IRNA reported.
Cyprus hosts two British sovereign military bases, including RAF Akrotiri, which an Iranian drone struck in early March.
