Iran's Araqchi presses European counterparts over use of bases in US operations

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi urged Bulgaria to reconsider its decision to allow the temporary deployment of US military aircraft at the Bezmer air base, Iranian state media reported on Thursday.

During a phone call with his Bulgarian counterpart, Velislava Petrova-Chamova, Araqchi said Sofia's approval of a US request to station military aircraft at the base to support military operations amounted to facilitating aggression against Iran, adding the move was unacceptable and contrary to the traditionally friendly relations between the two countries.

Iran has repeatedly warned countries allowing their territory to be used for US military operations against it that they could "face consequences".

Araqchi held a separate phone call with Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos, during which he stressed the importance of preventing foreign military bases in Cyprus from being used against Iran.