Iran's Threat to Bulgaria Risks Triggering NATO's Article 5

Iran warned Bulgaria on August 21 that hosting US KC-135 tanker aircraft at Bezmer Air Base makes it a "legitimate target" for retaliation. Bulgaria is a NATO member; any Iranian attack on its territory could invoke Article 5 collective defense, pulling all 32 allies into a US-Iran confrontation. Iran has previously struck non-belligerent states including Jordan.