Iran has issued a direct warning to Bulgaria over its plans to host US military aircraft, Euronews reported on Wednesday.
Tehran said Sofia should not allow its territory to become a launch pad for operations against Iran.
The warning follows a proposal by the Bulgarian government to temporarily station up to eight US aerial refueling planes at the Bezmer air base in the southeast of the country.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry said any support for the US attacks would make Bulgaria complicit in what Tehran describes as "aggression and war crimes". Sofia and Washington have sought to downplay those concerns, insisting that the troop deployment is defensive and not related to military operations in the Middle East.
The US European Command said it was closely monitoring the situation and remained ready to respond to potential threats. “The United States maintains regional defense capabilities across NATO's eastern flank, including in Bulgaria, and works closely with the Bulgarian government and our allies and partners throughout the broader region,“ the statement said. “We remain vigilant and ready to address any potential threats.“
The planes were previously based at Sofia Airport but were asked to leave the civilian site in late June. After Washington renewed its request, the Bulgarian government offered to transfer them to the military base in Bezmer. Aerial refueling aircraft allow fighter jets and other military aircraft to remain airborne for longer periods of time by refueling them in flight.
Bulgarian Foreign Ministry has categorically rejected claims that the country could be used to support attacks on Iran. “There can be no talk of any military operations in the Middle East being carried out from Bulgarian territory“, the ministry said.
The Bulgarian government added that it is not taking any hostile actions against Tehran and called on both Iran and the United States to stop military operations and return to negotiations aimed at securing a lasting ceasefire.
The conversation comes against the backdrop of a new increase in tensions between Washington and Tehran after the failure of the temporary ceasefire.
This is not the first time that Iran has warned Bulgaria: in April, Tehran sent a diplomatic note to Sofia warning against allowing American military aircraft to use Bulgarian airports for operations directed against Iran.