Bulgaria’s quiet village fears becoming Iranian target

Residents of a Bulgarian village near a military airbase say fears of becoming an Iranian target have eased after two US Air Force refuelling aircraft left the country, but concerns over Bulgaria’s involvement in the conflict remain.

The Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers had been stationed at Bezmer airbase in southeastern Bulgaria to support US military operations involving Iran. Their presence prompted protests in Bezmer, a village of about 1,000 people where many residents work at the base.

Within two days of the Bulgarian government proposing the deployment of up to eight US tankers and 250 personnel, residents of Bezmer and nearby villages collected more than 3,000 signatures opposing it.

“The USAF air tankers took off yesterday and left Bulgaria,” Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said. President Iliana Yotova declared: “For now, this mission is over.”

The US Air Force said the aircraft had left to support “other operational requirements”.

The deployment had raised fears that Bezmer could become a target for Iranian attacks. Tehran had warned Bulgaria against allowing its territory to be used for US and Israeli military operations against Iran. The Financial Times, citing unnamed Iranian sources, later reported that Iranian forces had assessed striking US assets in southeastern European countries including Bulgaria.

“I pray to God that our village won’t be attacked,” a local shop worker told Al Jazeera before the tankers departed. “We are scared, but nothing depends on us.”

Bulgaria’s government sought to reassure residents, saying military intelligence had identified no threat to national security, US aircraft or other facilities in the country. A UK assessment reportedly judged the risk to be extremely low.

But some residents remained deeply concerned.

“We shiver day after day and pray that the war doesn’t come here,” said Ganka Vlaeva, 78, whose child works at the airbase. “We are the first target, and many people will die.”

Another resident, Ivan, 33, dismissed what he called “groundless panic”, saying: “There’s no danger for the village.”

Prime Minister Rumen Radev said the tankers had not made a single flight “south from the airport” and had travelled instead to fellow NATO countries for training and exercises.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran reserved the right to respond to “any action regarded as supporting US and Israeli military aggression” against Iran.

“We have no issue with the Bulgarian people,” Baghaei said, while accusing Bulgaria of supporting US military action against Iran.

For Bezmer residents, however, the departure of the tankers has brought some relief. Mayor Rosen Rusev said villagers felt their concerns had finally been heard, although uncertainty over the wider conflict remains.

By Aghakazim Guliyev