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Bulgaria's parliament approved today the temporary deployment of US tanker aircraft (refueling) to the Bezmer military base, despite Iran's warning that such an action would constitute involvement in an "attack and war crimes", an accusation that Sofia has denied.
"No offensive weapons systems of any kind will be deployed on the territory of Bulgaria," Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov told lawmakers. " Their temporary presence does not make Bulgaria part of military operations ," he added.
According to Stoyanov, Washington has pledged to "minimize the risks associated with our security."
Five mayors of towns located around the Bezmer base, about 260 kilometers southeast of Sofia, presented their objections to the plan to deploy the aircraft, expressing security concerns.
The government's proposal to allow the deployment of up to eight KC-135 aircraft on the territory of Bulgaria, a member state of the European Union and NATO, was approved with 136 votes in favor, 13 against and 2 abstentions.
Last week, Washington requested the deployment of an aircraft and up to 250 servicemen for the period from July 24 to October 1, relying on an agreement that provides for the joint use of military facilities, Stoyanov said.
"Bulgaria does not take hostile actions against any other country. We fulfill our contractual obligations with the United States ," he added.
The plan to deploy US refueling planes triggered a reaction from Tehran yesterday. Through Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei, Iran spoke out against granting permission for the US to use Bulgarian territory for military operations against Iran, stating that such an action would make Sofia "an accomplice of aggressors and lawbreakers."
The United States and Iran have intensified attacks on each other since the failure of a temporary ceasefire agreement signed a month ago, raising the risk of a full-scale war.
The United States European Command (EUCOM) announced today that it will continue to cooperate with Bulgaria on security issues, surveillance and countering any potential threats.
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