Iran threatens Bulgaria over Bezmer Air Base role in US operations
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Iran has warned Bulgaria that aiding US military operations against Tehran could make it a target of retaliatory strikes. The threat follows Sofia's approval of US use of Bezmer Air Base for refuelling aircraft involved in operations against Iran. Analysts say southeastern Europe's NATO bases and Black Sea supply routes make the region strategically exposed.
Key Facts
- Bulgaria's parliament approved the use of Bezmer Air Base for refuelling US military aircraft in July.
- Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that any country aiding US aggression against Iran would be considered a legitimate target.
- The Financial Times reported, citing unnamed Iranian sources, that Tehran will consider attacking Europe if Washington escalates the conflict.
- Iran has reportedly attempted to hit targets as far as the joint US-UK military base on Diego Garcia, 2,350 miles from Iran.
Bulgaria's Bezmer Airfield
In July, Bulgaria's parliament approved the use of its Bezmer Air Base for refuelling US military aircraft. The agreement functions as a support mechanism for US military operations in the Middle East and against Iran. Speaking to his Bulgarian counterpart, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that any country aiding US aggression against Iran would be considered a legitimate target of retaliatory attack by Tehran. According to a recent report in the Financial Times, citing unnamed Iranian sources, Tehran will consider attacking Europe if Washington escalates the conflict.
Strategic Exposure of Southeastern Europe
Armida van Rij, a senior fellow at the Centre for European Reform, described southeastern Europe as the soft underbelly of Europe, strategically important due to its NATO bases, key supplies to Ukraine, and position on the Black Sea. In Bulgaria, the Iran war is perceived as remote, with journalist Angel Petrov noting that Bulgarians do not view it as important as Ukraine and find oil price implications bearable given general inflation. Petrov said Sofia lacks the institutional capacity to defy a brash administration in Washington while managing the war in Ukraine and an increasingly active Russia. By firing missiles at Bezmer Air Base, Iran might hope to raise the costs of that cooperation and possibly drive a wedge between Bulgaria and the US.
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Iran threatens Bulgaria over Bezmer Air Base role in US operations
