Iran urges Bulgaria to reconsider allowing US military aircraft deployment at its base

Iran's Foreign Minister ⁠Abbas ⁠Araqchi urged Bulgaria to reconsider ⁠its decision to allow the temporary deployment of US military aircraft at the Bezmer air base, Iranian state media reported on ‌Thursday, Report informs via Reuters.

During a phone call ‌with his Bulgarian counterpart, Velislava Petrova-Chamova, Araqchi said Sofia's approval of ⁠a US ⁠request to station military aircraft at the base to support military operations amounted to facilitating aggression against Iran, adding the move was unacceptable and contrary to the traditionally friendly relations between the two countries.

Iran has repeatedly warned countries allowing their territory to be used for US ⁠military ⁠operations against it that ⁠they could "face consequences".

Bulgaria's parliament last week approved the temporary deployment of up to eight US KC-135 tanker aircraft and up to 250 personnel ⁠at Bezmer air base despite Iranian objections. Sofia has said no ⁠offensive weapons would be deployed and that the move did not make Bulgaria a party to military operations.