Iran warned Romania on Monday it would respond politically and legally if the country allowed the United States to use bases on its territory for operations against Iran.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran was urging countries not to become involved in the war.
“If Romania makes its bases available to the United States, it would amount to participation in military aggression against Iran,” Baghaei told a weekly news conference.
He said such a move would be unacceptable under international law and would carry international responsibility for Romania.
He was was responding to a question regarding Romania’s agreement for the US to use a Black Sea base for tanker aircraft operating in the Gulf area. Baghaei urged third countries not to get involved in the war.
Romania’s foreign ministry responded that the move was “strictly defensive in nature, used only for self-defense purposes, according to the UN Charter. Romania is not a party to the conflict. Our priority is the diplomatic effort for de-escalation, for which we have pleaded since the first day of the conflict,” the ministry said, adding it had taken note of the statements.
It also condemned “Iran’s completely unjustified attacks against the states in the Gulf region and thanks (the Gulf nations) for protecting Romanian citizens there.
“We call on Iran to stop these attacks, which endanger human lives and lead to the degradation of security and the global economy,” the ministry said.
Three KC-135 Stratotanker-type planes arrived in Romania on Sunday carrying a contingent of US soldiers. Romanian Defense Minister Radu Miruță announced their arrival specifying the planes carried no weapons or explosives and that Parliament had limited their number.
Romania’s Parliament last week approved the deployment of non-offensive US troops and military equipment in Romania following a proposal of the country’s top defense council.
Romanian president Nicușor Dan stressed that the military hardware is strictly defensive and will be deployed within the framework of the strategic partnership.
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