US Air Force KC-135R\/T Stratotankers at Sofia Airport, Bulgaria<\/p>\n
Tehran’s third warning to Bulgaria came soon after US President Donald Trump publicly thanked Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev for providing air base support.<\/strong><\/p>\n Iran has issued a fresh warning to Bulgaria after the Balkan country allowed the United States to use its military bases, escalating diplomatic tensions between Tehran and Sofia.<\/p>\n In a statement posted on social media, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said that \u201cthose making decisions in Bulgaria must bear responsibility for the dangerous decision to host a US aerial refuelling aircraft at their military bases.\u201d<\/p>\n The statement added that Tehran believes this is not an isolated case, claiming that similar decisions have been taken before to \u201csupport US military operations against Iran.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe 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,\u201d the Iranian Foreign Ministry said.<\/p>\n The latest remarks mark the third time Iran has issued a warning to Bulgaria over the presence of US military aircraft.<\/p>\n It came just days after US President Donald Trump publicly thanked Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev in a post on Truth Social.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, Prime Minister Radev! Bulgaria stands with Trump and supports the deployment of a US Air Force base despite Iran\u2019s threats,\u201d Trump wrote.<\/p>\n The exchange has fuelled concerns in Bulgaria, even as Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov sought to reassure the public that the risks remain limited.<\/p>\n Speaking to Bulgarian broadcaster bTV, Stoyanov said he was not concerned about the possibility of Iran launching a missile attack against Bulgaria, although he acknowledged that \u201canything is possible.\u201d<\/p>\n Addressing fears of potential terrorist attacks, the minister argued that the risk is now lower than when US military aircraft were stationed at a civilian airport.<\/p>\n Earlier this week, Bulgaria\u2019s parliament approved the relocation of the US aircraft to the Bezmer military air base. The decision has sparked protests among local residents, who say they fear the move could make the area a potential target amid rising regional tensions.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n‘Risk remains limited’, minister reassures public<\/strong><\/h2>\n