Commenting on the Bulgarian government’s consideration of a U.S. request to deploy military aircraft in Bulgaria, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei emphasized that the Bulgarian Parliament should not grant Washington permission to use the country's territory and assets, which would make Bulgaria a partner to the aggressors and perpetrators of crimes.
Commenting on statements by Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Raddev regarding the review of a U.S. request to deploy military aircraft at Bulgaria's Bezmer Air Base to support military operations against Iran, Baghaei said: "The Bulgarian government is well aware that the U.S. military attacks on Iran—which represent an extension of the ongoing U.S. and Zionist regime military aggression since February 28—constitute flagrant aggression and a grave violation of the fundamental principles of the UN Charter and peremptory norms of international law. Any participation or cooperation in preparing for or executing these attacks is considered complicity in the crime of aggression and war crimes."
The Foreign Ministry spokesman pointed out the serious consequences of the Zionist-American military aggression against Iran on international peace, security, and trade, in addition to the war crimes committed against the Iranian people, stressing the legal and moral responsibility of all states to condemn this aggression and the crimes committed.
Baghaei expressed surprise at the statements of the Bulgarian Prime Minister, asserting that the mere announcement of reviewing the U.S. request for Bulgaria's support in its illegal war against the Iranian people violates Bulgaria's international legal obligations and contradicts the principle of mutual respect for national sovereignty. He added that Paragraph (f) of Article 3 of UN General Assembly Resolution 3314 on the Definition of Aggression considers allowing a state's territory to be used by another state to commit an act of aggression against a third state as a form of aggression.
Pointing to the relations based on mutual respect between Iran and Bulgaria, Baghaei warned against the Bulgarian Parliament granting the United States permission to use the country's territory and assets, which would render Bulgaria a partner to aggressors and criminals.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman concluded his statements by stressing that the Islamic Republic of Iran will not hesitate to defend its national interests and security in the face of any aggression or hostile act, and that any party participating, in any manner, in the military aggression against Iran will inevitably bear responsibility for the consequences.
