Bulgaria approves US tanker hub as Iran issues warning

Bulgaria's parliament has approved the temporary deployment of up to eight US KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft and as many as 250 American military personnel at Bezmer Air Base in the country's southeast from July 24 until October 1. The decision ends months of political debate over the aircraft's presence in Bulgaria and comes as NATO reinforces its southeastern flank amid heightened tensions in the Middle East.

The deployment will take place under the existing US-Bulgaria Defense Cooperation Agreement. It follows controversy earlier this year, when similar US tanker aircraft were temporarily stationed at Sofia's civilian airport without parliamentary approval. The government says moving the mission to Bezmer Air Base provides a clearer legal framework while addressing concerns raised during the earlier deployment.

The KC-135 aircraft are used to refuel military aircraft in flight, extending their operational range during allied missions. Bulgarian officials insist the deployment is intended solely for logistical support and does not make the country a participant in military operations.

Vasil Danov of the Atlantic Council Bulgaria said the decision reflects Bulgaria's obligations within NATO.

"The country, as a loyal ally of the NATO countries, has accepted the duty... to provide the airport... which has the discretion to use its planes for the purposes necessary for the United States of America."

The decision has nevertheless prompted opposition from five mayors near Bezmer Air Base, who warned the deployment could expose local communities to greater security risks if the conflict in the Middle East widens. The Bulgarian government rejected those concerns, stressing that no offensive weapons would be deployed and that the tanker aircraft would not be used to launch military operations from Bulgarian territory.

Iran also criticiszd Sofia's decision, warning that allowing Bulgarian territory to support US military operations would make the country an accomplice in what it calls aggression and war crimes. Bulgarian authorities dismissed the accusation, saying the aircraft will perform only logistical missions.

Former Bulgarian Deputy Foreign Minister Milen Keremedchiev said the government's explanation had changed after the initial deployment.

"At the beginning, the Ministry of Defense said that they are based on military training that is to be performed at the eastern front of NATO," Keremedchiev said. "But on another day it turned out that it's not correct information because for the first time we had so many planes actually landing at the civilian airport."

The US European Command said it would continue working with Bulgaria on regional security, highlighting the country's growing role as an important NATO logistics hub in Southeast Europe.