Μake us preferred on Google Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has urged Bulgaria and Cyprus to prevent their territory from being used to support U.S. military operations against Iran, reiterating Tehran’s warnings that countries facilitating such operations could face consequences.
According to Iranian state media, Araqchi raised the issue during separate phone calls with Bulgarian Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova-Chamova and Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos.
Iran Objects to U.S. Aircraft Deployment in Bulgaria
During his conversation with Bulgaria’s foreign minister, Araqchi called on Sofia to reconsider its decision to allow the temporary deployment of U.S. military aircraft at Bezmer Air Base.
He said Bulgaria’s approval of a U.S. request to station military aircraft at the base in support of military operations amounted to facilitating aggression against Iran. Araqchi described the move as unacceptable and said it was contrary to the traditionally friendly relations between the two countries.
Iran has repeatedly warned that countries allowing their territory to be used for U.S. military operations against it could “face consequences.”
Last week, Bulgaria’s parliament approved the temporary deployment of up to eight U.S. KC-135 tanker aircraft and as many as 250 personnel at Bezmer Air Base despite Iranian objections.
Bulgarian authorities have said the deployment will not include offensive weapons and insisted the decision does not make Bulgaria a party to military operations.
Concerns Over Military Bases in Cyprus
Araqchi also spoke with Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos, stressing the importance of ensuring that foreign military bases in Cyprus are not used against Iran.
Cyprus hosts two British sovereign military bases, including RAF Akrotiri, which was struck by an Iranian drone in early March, several days after Israel and the United States launched strikes on Iran.
Britain initially agreed to a U.S. request to use British bases for defensive strikes against Iranian missile storage sites or launchers. It later clarified that RAF Akrotiri would not be included in its defensive arrangement with the United States involving the use of U.K. bases.
The broader defense agreement was maintained by British Prime Minister Andy Burnham in July, prompting Iran’s Revolutionary Guards to warn Britain against facilitating U.S. military operations targeting Iran.
