Iran has issued another warning to Bulgaria after the Balkan NATO member allowed US military aircraft to use its bases, adding pressure on Sofia as tensions around the US-Iran confrontation continue to spill into Europe.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on social media that “those making decisions in Bulgaria must bear responsibility for the dangerous decision to host a US aerial refuelling aircraft at their military bases.”
The ministry said Tehran did not view the deployment as an isolated step and claimed similar decisions had previously been taken to support US operations against Iran. It added: “The Bulgarian people know very well that the Iranian people have never had any problems with Bulgaria. For decades, relations between our two nations have been based on mutual respect.”
The warning was the third from Iran over the presence of US aircraft in Bulgaria. It followed a public message from US President Donald Trump, who thanked Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev for backing the deployment despite Tehran’s objections.
“Thank you, Prime Minister Radev! Bulgaria stands with Trump and supports the deployment of a US Air Force base despite Iran’s threats,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Bulgaria’s parliament approved the relocation of the US aircraft to Bezmer military air base earlier this week. The decision has drawn protests from residents near the facility, who say they fear the area could become a target if the crisis deepens.
Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov tried to calm the public, saying he was not worried about a possible Iranian missile strike on Bulgaria, while adding that “anything is possible.” He also said the risk of a terrorist attack was lower than when US aircraft had been based at a civilian airport.
