Iran urges Bulgaria and Cyprus to reverse US aircraft deployment decision

Investing.com -- Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi called on Bulgaria to reverse its decision allowing temporary deployment of U.S. military aircraft at the Bezmer air base, Iranian state media reported on Thursday.

Araqchi spoke by phone with Bulgarian Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova-Chamova, telling her that Sofia's approval of the U.S. request to station military aircraft at the base to support military operations amounts to facilitating aggression against Iran. He said 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 U.S. military operations against it that they could "face consequences."

Araqchi held a separate phone call with Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos, stressing the importance of preventing foreign military bases in Cyprus from being used against Iran.

Bulgaria's parliament last week 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 said no offensive weapons would be deployed and that the move did not make Bulgaria a party to military operations.

Cyprus hosts two British sovereign military bases, including RAF Akrotiri, which was struck by an Iranian drone in early March, days after Israel and the U.S. initiated strikes on Iran.

Britain agreed early in the war to a U.S. request to use British bases for defensive strikes against Iranian missiles in storage depots or launchers. This arrangement was maintained by British Prime Minister Andy Burnham in July, prompting Iran's Revolutionary Guards to warn Britain against facilitating U.S. military operations against Iran.

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