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Bulgaria's parliamentary defense committee approved a draft decision Tuesday allowing the temporary deployment of U.S. aircraft at Bezmer Air Base to support Washington's operations in the Middle East, according to the Bulgarian News Agency.
The proposal, submitted Monday by the Council of Ministers, passed by an 11-1 vote, with two abstentions. It still requires approval by Parliament.
The move follows a U.S. request to deploy up to eight aerial refueling aircraft, up to 250 American service members carrying personal weapons and ammunition, and necessary airport equipment at Bezmer Air Base from July 24 to Oct. 1.
Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said there was no direct threat to national security, citing an assessment by the military intelligence service.
He said parliamentary approval was being sought because of public concerns raised during a previous deployment of U.S. aircraft at Sofia Airport.
On May 29, the Bulgarian government extended until June 30 the stay of up to 15 U.S. aircraft, support personnel and equipment in the country. The aircraft later departed from Sofia's Vasil Levski Airport.
Iran on Tuesday warned Bulgaria against allowing the United States to use its territory for military operations against Tehran, saying such a move would make Sofia complicit in what it described as "aggression and war crimes."
Speaking to the official IRNA news agency, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei was responding to reports that the Bulgarian government was considering the U.S. request to deploy military aircraft at Bezmer Air Base in support of operations against Iran.
Baghaei said Bulgaria was fully aware that U.S. military strikes against Iran, "a continuation of the US-Israeli military aggression that began on Feb. 28," constituted a "blatant act of aggression" and a serious violation of the U.N. Charter and international law.
He warned that "any participation or cooperation in preparing or carrying out these unlawful attacks would amount to complicity in the crime of aggression and war crimes."
Baghaei expressed surprise at remarks attributed to Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev on considering the U.S. request, saying even discussing such support was inconsistent with Bulgaria's international legal obligations and the principle of respect for national sovereignty.
Citing the relevant provision of U.N. General Assembly Resolution 3314 on the Definition of Aggression, he said making one state's territory available for another state to carry out an act of aggression against a third state constitutes an act of aggression.
Baghaei urged the Bulgarian Parliament not to authorize the use of the country's territory or military facilities by U.S. forces.
He warned that doing so would turn Bulgaria into "an accomplice of aggressors and criminals."
He added that Iran would not hesitate to defend its national interests and security and that any party taking part in military aggression against the country "must accept responsibility for the consequences."
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