Mark Rutte stated that any attack by Iran on Bulgaria would be considered an attack against NATO

The NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, informed the Bulgarian Prime Minister, Rumen Radev, that an attack by Iran on Bulgaria would be considered an attack against the integrity of the Alliance, according to Article 5 on collective defense. This statement was made in the context of the Financial Times reporting that Iran is analyzing possible retaliatory attacks against the US in Southeast Europe. Rutte confirmed NATO's support for Bulgaria and the readiness of regional forces to respond to any threat.

The Bulgarian Parliament has authorized the deployment of American tanker planes at the Bezmer airbase, used for refueling aircraft involved in attacks against Iran. Additionally, sources in Tehran suggest that Cyprus could be a target for retaliation. American President Donald Trump announced a campaign of "economic warfare and isolation" against Iran, while Iranian officials warned that they would escalate tensions if the US does not return to the peace agreement from June.