In a show of support for President Donald Trump's Middle East strategy, Bulgaria's Parliament voted Wednesday to allow the U.S. military to use the country's Bezmer Air Base to support American operations against Iran, despite direct warnings from Tehran that the move would make Bulgaria "an accomplice" to U.S. military action.
The measure passed overwhelmingly, 136-13, with two abstentions, authorizing the temporary deployment of up to eight U.S. KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft, about 250 American personnel, and supporting equipment at the southeastern Bulgarian base from July 24 through Oct. 1.
Under the 2006 U.S.-Bulgaria Defense Cooperation Agreement, any new operational use of the joint facility requires parliamentary approval.
The vote comes as the Trump administration has encountered resistance from several Western European allies over requests to support U.S. operations in the expanding conflict with Iran.
By contrast, Bulgaria's decision highlights the growing willingness of a number of Eastern European governments to align themselves more closely with Washington.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev sought to reassure Bulgarians that the deployment would not make the country a combatant in the conflict.
"It is categorically out of the question for military operations in the Middle East to be conducted from Bulgarian territory," Radev said, explaining that the American tanker aircraft would be used solely for logistical missions involving aerial refueling outside Bulgarian airspace.
Bulgarian Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov likewise stressed that no offensive weapons would be stationed at the base and that Bulgaria had secured assurances from Washington to minimize risks to the country's national security.
"We requested and received guarantees from our strategic partner aimed at minimizing the risks to our national security," Stoyanov told lawmakers. He added that the temporary deployment "does not make Bulgaria a party to the military actions."
The vote came despite pointed threats from Iran.
Tehran warned this week that allowing American aircraft to operate from Bulgarian territory would make it complicit in what it called "aggression and war crimes."
The warning followed Iran's pattern of threatening countries that host U.S. military assets after American strikes against Iranian targets.
Several local officials near the Bezmer base also voiced concerns that the installation could become a target should hostilities widen.
The parliamentary vote also underscores broader political changes inside Bulgaria.
Bulgaria's government under Radev has sought to strengthen ties with both the United States and NATO while pursuing closer relations with the Trump administration.
Radev has been under domestic pressure not to align with the U.S., especially since Bulgaria is one of only three European Union countries — along with Cyprus and Romania — whose citizens still require visas to travel to the United States for short-term business or tourism.
Despite Bulgaria's support for Trump administration policies, Washington has been reluctant to grant visa waiver status to Bulgaria.
Bulgaria's approval for U.S. jets to use its air bases reflects a widening geopolitical divide within Europe over Trump's Iran policy.
While major Western European powers including France, Germany, and Italy have expressed reluctance to become more directly involved in supporting U.S. military operations, several Eastern European nations have taken a markedly different approach.
Countries such as Poland and now Bulgaria have increasingly aligned themselves with Washington on security matters, viewing the United States as the essential guarantor of regional stability in the face of threats from Russia, Iran, and other adversaries.
For the Trump administration, Bulgaria's support represents an important diplomatic victory, demonstrating that despite divisions within the European Union, key allies along NATO's eastern flank remain prepared to support U.S. military operations even in the face of direct intimidation from Tehran.