31 July,2026 (Ghufran) : Iran has renewed its warning that countries allowing their territory to be used for U.S. military operations against the Islamic Republic could face consequences, while urging Bulgaria to reverse its decision to permit the temporary deployment of U.S. military aircraft at the Bezmer Air Base. According to Iranian state media, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi conveyed Tehran’s concerns during a telephone conversation with Bulgarian Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova-Chamova. Araqchi said Bulgaria’s approval of a U.S. request to station military aircraft at Bezmer Air Base in support of military operations amounted to facilitating aggression against Iran. He described the move as unacceptable and inconsistent with the traditionally friendly relations between the two countries. Iran has repeatedly cautioned that states enabling U.S. military operations against it by providing access to their territory or military facilities could face repercussions. In a separate telephone conversation with Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos, Araqchi emphasized the need to prevent foreign military bases in Cyprus from being used for operations against Iran.
Last week, Bulgaria’s parliament approved the temporary deployment of up to eight U.S. KC-135 aerial refuelling aircraft and up to 250 military personnel at Bezmer Air Base, despite objections from Tehran. Bulgarian authorities have maintained that no offensive weapons will be stationed at the base and that the deployment does not make Bulgaria a participant in military operations. Cyprus hosts two British Sovereign Base Areas, including RAF Akrotiri, which was reportedly targeted by an Iranian drone in early March, days after Israel and the United States launched strikes against Iran. At the outset of the conflict, the United Kingdom agreed to a U.S. request to use British military facilities for defensive operations against Iranian missile launchers and storage sites. However, London later clarified that RAF Akrotiri would not be used under the U.S.-UK defensive arrangement. The broader defence cooperation between the United Kingdom and the United States was maintained by the new British Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, in July. In response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned Britain against facilitating U.S. military operations against Iran.