Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke to his Bulgarian counterpart, Velislava Petrova, by phone yesterday to protest Bulgaria’s hosting of US air refueling aircraft that could be used to support U.S. operations against Iran. He criticized Sofia’s approval of Washington’s request to deploy U.S. military aircraft at Bulgaria’s Bezmer Air Base in support of military operations, describing the decision as “condemnable, unacceptable, and inconsistent with the long-standing friendly relations between the two countries,” reported Mehr News. He urged the Bulgarian government to urgently reconsider its decision.
Araghchi also stressed that Iran would not hesitate to defend its national interests and security against any hostile action, warning that any party involved in military attacks against Iran, in any capacity, would bear responsibility for the consequences.
Petrova reportedly recalled the longstanding positive relations between the two countries, stating that Bulgaria has no intention of participating in the conflict and reaffirmed Sofia’s support for diplomacy and efforts to reduce regional tensions.
