site.btaBulgarian Government, Leaders React to US Strikes on Iranian Nuclear Sites

After the US attacked three key nuclear facilities in Iran early on Sunday, the Bulgarian government was quick to reassure that the Bulgarian security services are monitoring the situation and at the moment there is no immediate threat to the security of the country. The cabinet said that it is in constant coordination with European Union and NATO partners and voiced concern about the growing tensions and the potential risks to international peace and security.

President Rumen Radev said he expects the UN Security Council Member States to find the way to constructive dialogue and thus to prevent the danger of the Middle East situation turning into a global catastrophe, his press centre said on Saturday.

Efforts by the international community must be based on international law and focused on finding a path to de-escalation and bringing all sides to the negotiating table, National Assembly Chair Natalyia Kiselova told journalists in Hisarya.

Kiselova stressed that Bulgaria’s consistent position in any military conflict is to call for the swift cessation of hostilities and a move toward dialogue, as such conflicts result in serious damage to infrastructure and the loss of innocent lives. She added that there are international formats available through which negotiations could be initiated.

The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry called on Sunday for de-escalation and diplomatic efforts to avoid a further deterioration of the situation in the Middle East following the military actions carried out on Saturday against nuclear installations on the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The statement also noted that Iran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear programme for military purposes. "We believe that preserving the international legal order and arms control and non-proliferation mechanisms is of utmost importance," the Foreign Ministry added.

All data coming in, including from the International Atomic Energy Agency, indicate that there is no radiation contamination. The radiation background on the territory of Bulgaria is normal and is continuously monitored by the authorized bodies, Energy Minister Zhecho Stankov said in a televised interview.