“Diplomacy remains the main tool for reducing tension,” Cypriot Foreign Minister Konstantinos Kombos said after a telephone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on July 30. The parties discussed the situation in the region amid the conflict between the United States and Iran. Tehran has also asked Nicosia for clarification on the foreign military bases on the island.

Araghchi demanded to prevent the use of British bases in Cyprus against Iran. According to him, when a state allows a third country to use its territory for hostile actions, this “constitutes participation in an act of aggression.”

In response, Cyprus assured that the British bases would not be used for actions against Iran.

Why does this apply to Cyprus?

There are two British sovereign bases on the territory of the Republic of Cyprus — Akrotiri and Dhekelia. After the outbreak of war between Israel, the United States and Iran on February 28, tensions in the region were reflected on the island. On the night of March 1, the Akrotiri base in Cyprus was attacked by a Shahed drone, which was allegedly launched by Hezbollah from Lebanon.

After more than a hundred days of fighting, the sides agreed to a cease-fire, but tensions remain in the region.

Tehran’s threats have gone beyond diplomacy

The current appeal to Cyprus continues a series of warnings from Tehran. On July 23, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned London that any base used for strikes against Iran could become a “legitimate target.” The reason was the use of the British Fairford base by American bombers. Since the beginning of the conflict, the United States has been able to use British bases for “defensive” operations against Iranian missile sites. The new British government, led by Andy Burnham, maintained this arrangement after Keir Starmer’s departure in July.

What does Bulgaria have to do with it?

Araghchi also discussed this issue with his Bulgarian counterpart Velislava Petrova-Tsamova and called on Sofia to reconsider the decision to deploy American military aircraft at the Bezmer airbase. According to him, this could mean “facilitating aggression” against Iran and contradict the traditionally friendly relations between the two countries.

Earlier, the Bulgarian parliament allowed the temporary deployment of up to eight American KC-135 tanker aircraft and up to 250 military personnel at the Bezmer base. Sofia stressed that offensive weapons will not be deployed, and the decision itself does not mean Bulgaria’s participation in military operations.

https://lenta.cy/iran-prigrozil-kipru-iz-za-britanskih-voennyh-baz-na-ostrove/