Iran’s foreign minister presses European counterparts over bases used in US operations

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi urged Bulgaria to reconsider its decision to allow the temporary deployment of US military aircraft at Bezmer Air Base, Iranian state media reported on Thursday. In a phone call with his Bulgarian counterpart, Velislava Petrova-Chamova, Araghchi said Sofia’s approval of a US request to station aircraft at the base in support of military operations amounted to facilitating aggression against Iran. He described the move as unacceptable and contrary to the traditionally friendly relations between the two countries. Iran has repeatedly warned that countries allowing their territory to be used for US military operations against it could “face consequences”. In a separate phone call with Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos, Araghchi stressed the importance of preventing foreign military bases in Cyprus from being used in attacks against Iran.