Iran has directly warned Bulgaria over plans to host American military aircraft on its territory, stating that Sofia should not allow the country to become a launchpad for operations against Tehran. The warning came after the Bulgarian government proposed to temporarily host up to eight American refueling aircraft at the Bezmer airbase in the southeast of the country. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei stated that any support for American strikes would make Bulgaria complicit in what Tehran calls "aggression and war crimes." Sofia and Washington are trying to allay these concerns, insisting that the deployment is defensive in nature and not related to military operations in the Middle East. The U.S. European Command stated that it is closely monitoring the situation and remains ready to respond to potential threats. "The United States supports regional defensive capabilities across NATO's eastern flank, including Bulgaria, and works closely with the Bulgarian government as well as our allies and partners throughout the region," the statement said. "We remain vigilant and ready to counter any potential threats." Previously, these aircraft were based at Sofia Airport, but they were asked to leave the civilian facility at the end of June. After Washington renewed its request for deployment, the Bulgarian government proposed moving them to the military base in Bezmer. Refueling aircraft allow fighter jets and other military aircraft to stay airborne longer by replenishing their fuel supply mid-flight. The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry firmly rejected claims that the country could be used to support strikes against Iran. "There can be no question of any military operations in the Middle East being conducted from Bulgarian territory," the ministry stated. The Bulgarian government added that it is not taking hostile steps against Tehran and called on both Iran and the U.S. to cease military actions and return to negotiations for establishing a sustainable ceasefire. This exchange of statements comes amid a new escalation of tensions between Washington and Tehran following the collapse of a temporary truce. This is not the first warning Iran has issued to Bulgaria: in April, Tehran sent a diplomatic note to Sofia warning against providing American military aviation with Bulgarian airfields for operations against Iran.