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Iran’s Araqchi Presses European Counterparts Over Use of Bases in U.S. Operations · GNN Daily Breaking News

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  Speaker 1: Iranian Foreign Minister of Bass Iraqi, has stepped up diplomatic
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  Speaker 1: pressure on European governments, warning them against allowing their military
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  Speaker 1: bases to be used in US operations targeting Iran. His remarks,
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  Speaker 1: delivered in separate calls with officials in Bulgaria and Cyprus,
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  Speaker 1: underscore Tehran's determination to limit Washington's reach and to fracture
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  Speaker 1: Western unity. Iraqi criticized Bulgaria's decision to host US CASEY
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  Speaker 1: one three to five tanker aircraft and personnel at the
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  Speaker 1: Besmer Air Base, arguing that such deployments undermined bilateral ties
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  Speaker 1: and make Sophia complicit in aggression. In Cyprus, he raised
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  Speaker 1: similar concerns with Foreign Minister Constantino's Combos, pointing to the
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  Speaker 1: British sovereign bases at raf Acroterieri, which have been used
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  Speaker 1: by US and British forces during strikes on Iranian targets. Notably,
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  Speaker 1: raf Acrotereri was struck by an Iranian drone earlier this year,
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  Speaker 1: highlighting Tehran's willingness to retaliate against facilities at views as hostile.
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  Speaker 1: Britain has reaffirmed its commitment to allowing US use of
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  Speaker 1: acroterery for defensive purposes, a stance backed by Prime Minister
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  Speaker 1: Andy Burnham in July. That decision drew sharp warnings from
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  Speaker 1: Iran's revolutionary Guards, who caution London against deepening its involvement
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  Speaker 1: in the conflict. European governments, however, insist they are not
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  Speaker 1: parties to the war. Bulgaria emphasizes that no offensive weapons
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  Speaker 1: are being deployed on its territory, while Cyprus maintains its
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  Speaker 1: neutrality despite the presence of British bases. Analysts say these
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  Speaker 1: positions reflect the delicate balancing act European states face, honoring
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  Speaker 1: NATO commitments while avoiding direct confrontation with Tehran. Strategically, Iraqi's
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  Speaker 1: campaign reflects Iran's broader effort to expand the battlefield diplomatically
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  Speaker 1: by pressing European states, Tehran hopes to live at Washington's
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  Speaker 1: operational flexibility and portray US allies as vulnerable to retaliation.
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  Speaker 1: The warnings raise the possibility of further drone or missile
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  Speaker 1: strikes on European bases, escalating tensions beyond the Middle East.
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  Speaker 1: For global security, the stakes are significant. Bases in Bulgaria
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  Speaker 1: and Cyprus sit near critical energy and trade routes in
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  Speaker 1: the Black Sea and Eastern Mediterranean. Any escalation involving these
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  Speaker 1: facilities could disrupt NATO logistics and heighten risks for oil
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  Speaker 1: and gas flows to Europe. Ultimately, Iraqi's warnings are both
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  Speaker 1: diplomatic and strategic, a message that European cooperation with the
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  Speaker 1: US carries consequences, and that Iran is prepared to act
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  Speaker 1: if it perceives its sovereignty under threat. Whether Europe ends
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  Speaker 1: to this pressure or doubles down on its commitments will
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  Speaker 1: shape the next phase of the Udadas dot Iran confrontation.