Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi urged Bulgaria and Cyprus to prevent their bases from supporting US operations against Iran, warning of consequences. Bulgaria approved temporary deployment of US aircraft and personnel at Bezmer Air Base.
Iran's warnings highlight escalating regional tensions and its efforts to deter US military operations by pressuring allies hosting US forces, potentially impacting diplomatic relations and regional stability.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has urged Bulgaria and Cyprus to reconsider their decisions to allow the temporary deployment of U.S. military aircraft and personnel on their soil, warning that such actions could lead to consequences.
During a phone call with Bulgarian Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova-Chamova, Araqchi stated that Sofia's approval of a U.S. request to station military aircraft at the Bezmer air base to support operations amounted to facilitating aggression against Iran. He added that the move was unacceptable and contrary to friendly relations between the two countries.
Bulgaria's parliament had previously approved the temporary deployment of up to eight U.S. KC-135 tanker aircraft and up to 250 personnel at Bezmer air base, despite Iranian objections. Sofia has maintained that no offensive weapons would be deployed and that the arrangement does not make Bulgaria a party to military operations.
In a separate call with Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos, Araqchi emphasized the importance of preventing foreign military bases in Cyprus from being used against Iran. Cyprus hosts two British sovereign military bases, including RAF Akrotiri, which was reportedly struck by an Iranian drone in March.
Britain had agreed early in the conflict to a U.S. request to use British bases for defensive strikes against Iranian missiles. This arrangement was maintained by the new British Prime Minister Andy Burnham in July, prompting Iran's Revolutionary Guards to warn Britain against facilitating U.S. military operations against Iran.