Bulgaria approves US KC-135 tanker deployment at Bezmer amid Iranian protest

Bulgaria US KC-135 tankers Bezmer air base Iran protest Trump thanks Radev

The Bulgarian National Assembly voted on 22 July to allow up to eight United States KC‑135 aerial refuelling aircraft and about 250 American service members to operate from the Bezmer air base near Yambol. The measure passed with 136 votes in favour and the deployment is scheduled from late July until 1 October.

Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov announced the planes would arrive later than initially planned. Iran’s foreign ministry reacted sharply, sending a note on 17 July objecting to the move and its spokesperson Esmaïl Baghaei calling the decision “dangerous” and labeling Bulgaria a vassal state, demanding accountability for the “unsafe” deployment.

Security around Bezmer was tightened after Prime Minister Rumen Radev met with security services, and local protests emerged, with petitions gathering hundreds of signatures. Bulgarian MP Christo Gadzhev said the risk of an Iranian rocket strike was virtually zero, stressing logistical concerns instead. U.S. President Donald Trump later thanked Prime Minister Radev on Truth Social for allowing the deployment.

Entities: Bulgarian Parliament · Dimitar Stoyanov · Donald Trump · Esmail Baghaei · Rumen Radev

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 4 SOURCES] The Bulgarian Parliament voted on 22 July to permit the deployment of U.S. tanker aircraft, passing the measure with 136 votes in favour. (5bc1f2ee-0638-4b35-953e-d2c82c2d43b4, 3eb1842e-52f6-42ee-b6d8-e8cd0a9c75e3)
[● 4 SOURCES] The U.S. tanker aircraft are intended to refuel American bombers operating over the Aegean Sea targeting Iran. (official)
[● 4 SOURCES] Iran says the decision confirms Bulgaria’s status as a vassal state. (belongs)
[● 4 SOURCES] Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said the U.S. tanker aircraft would arrive later than originally scheduled. (belongs)
[● 4 SOURCES] The Bulgarian government says it is not taking hostile actions against Iran and is fulfilling its obligations to the United States. (belongs)
[● 4 SOURCES] Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaïl Baghaei said Bulgarian officials must be held accountable for allowing U.S. tanker aircraft to operate from Bulgarian military bases. (belongs)
[● 4 SOURCES] Iran sent an official note to Bulgaria on 17 July expressing opposition to the deployment of the U.S. tanker aircraft. (belongs)
[● 4 SOURCES] Security measures around Bulgarian airspace and the Bezmer airbase were intensified after a meeting between Prime Minister Rumen Radev and security services. (belongs)
[● 4 SOURCES] The Bulgarian Parliament approved the deployment of up to eight US KC-135 tanker aircraft and about 250 US service members at Bezmer air base. (5bc1f2ee-0638-4b35-953e-d2c82c2d43b4,3eb1842e-52f6-42ee-b6d8-e8cd0a9c75e3,cc53c761-2311-4537-a75d-96d68199c88d,b839732a-)
[● 2 SOURCES] Iran’s foreign ministry sent an official note on 17 July opposing the deployment of US tanker aircraft in Bulgaria. (5bc1f2ee-0638-4b35-953e-d2c82c2d43b4,ba4fabc6-c4b6-4775-89d3-6603cef48ad1)
[● 2 SOURCES] The deployment period is scheduled from late July (24 July) until 1 October. (cc53c761-2311-4537-a75d-96d68199c88d,b839732a-8676-4a7a-b242-d6603debe5d2)
[● 2 SOURCES] The vote on 22 July passed with 136 votes in favour of the deployment. (5bc1f2ee-0638-4b35-953e-d2c82c2d43b4,3eb1842e-52f6-42ee-b6d8-e8cd0a9c75e3)