NATO ‘prepared’ to defend allies amid report of Iranian strike plans

Military alliance says it will ‘do what is necessary’ amid media report Iran considered strikes against US targets in Europe.

NATO says it is prepared to address threats over possible Iranian attacks on United States military targets in Europe as Bulgaria has increased security measures at the Bezmer Air Base.

“NATO is prepared to address any threat and will always do what is necessary to defend all Allies,” a NATO official said in a statement on Wednesday.

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The unnamed official also said NATO intercepted four ballistic missiles Iran launched towards Turkiye this year, offering it as proof the military alliance’s “deterrence defence posture is strong and effective” against outside threats.

The remarks were in response to a Financial Times article that said Iran has considered carrying out attacks against US military locations across Europe.

The reported Iranian plans will be met with concern in southeastern Europe, where some nations have military installations that support US operations.

Bulgaria’s parliament approved the use of the Bezmer Air Base as a refuelling station for US military planes in July and allowed about 250 US military personnel to be stationed there until October.

Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev told the country’s BTA news agency that Bulgaria had taken “all possible measures” at the base in coordination with the Ministry of Defence. He said the measures were designed to address a threat level higher than currently indicated by security services.

“We are constantly monitoring the situation and developments and will continue to take precautionary measures that are far more extensive and intensive than the level of threat indicated by the information available at the moment,” he said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke to his Bulgarian counterpart shortly after the US was given permission to use its base to remind her that “any party that participates in any way in carrying out a military attack against Iran will certainly have to accept responsibility for its consequences,” according to Iran’s Tasnim News Agency.

A British airbase in Cyprus is the only European location that has been struck by a drone since the start of the US-Israel war on Iran in February.

Iran has since launched retaliatory attacks on US bases and targets across the Middle East and has repeatedly warned that any nation assisting military actions against Tehran risks becoming a target as well.

The US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding in June to end their hostilities. It set a deadline for the two countries to reach a permanent agreement to end the war, but it expired on Monday. No negotiations are currently taking place.