Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said Monday that the aircraft based at Bezmer Air Base had not flown south toward the Middle East, Anadolu Agency reported.
The aircraft “have not made a single flight south,” Radev told a news conference in Sofia.
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He said the tankers had flown only to NATO member states north and west of Bulgaria as part of exercises and training activities.
Radev was responding to questions about the aircraft’s departure from Bezmer on Friday and whether they would return to the base.
The questions followed remarks by Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei, who warned that countries should not expect to face Iranian action unless they allow their military bases, facilities or equipment to be used by what Tehran calls “aggressors for illegal activities.”
“I think all of this is clear and has been taken into account,” Radev said, adding that he did not believe Bulgaria was facing a threat.
Bulgaria’s parliament approved the deployment of up to eight US KC-135 aerial refuelling aircraft at Bezmer on July 22.
The approval also covers the deployment of US crews, up to 250 military personnel carrying personal weapons and ammunition, and supporting airfield equipment.
The deployment is scheduled to run from July 24 to October 1 and was approved to support US military operations in the Middle East.
The presence of American refuelling aircraft at the Bulgarian base has drawn increased attention as tensions between Iran and the United States and its allies continue to affect military operations and security concerns across the region.
