Araghchi warns Bulgaria over US military aircraft at Bezmer air base; Sofia says it does not intend to join the war

Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Iran's foreign minister, warned Bulgaria on Thursday, 30 July 2026 (8 Mordad 1405), over its agreement to a US request to station military aircraft at the Bezmer air base, speaking in response to a telephone call from Bulgarian Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova. The report was carried by the Tasnim news agency.

Araghchi said the Bulgarian government's agreement to the request, which is stated to be for the support of military operations, is in Iran's view condemnable, unacceptable and contrary to the traditional and friendly relations between the two countries, and that it would be appropriate for Bulgaria to urgently reconsider the decision. Citing Article 3 of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 3314 on the definition of aggression, he said placing the territory of one state at the disposal of another for the purpose of committing an act of aggression against a third state constitutes an act of aggression.

The Iranian minister added that any party taking part in any way in a military attack on Iran must accept responsibility for the consequences. In the same conversation, Bulgaria's foreign minister recalled the history of relations between the two countries and said Bulgaria does not intend to take part in the war, stressing its support for diplomacy and for reducing tension in the region. The call came a day after a similar conversation between Araghchi and the foreign minister of Cyprus about the use of foreign bases.