On Monday, Iran issued a formal warning to Romania, indicating that it would respond both politically and legally if Romania allowed the United States to utilise its military bases for operations against Iran, as reported by Iran International. In response, the spokesperson for the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified that the 2006 bilateral access agreement provides a legal framework for the United States’ continued use of military bases in Romania. The spokesperson emphasised that Romania is not a participant in the ongoing conflict, while also condemning “Iran’s completely unjustified attacks against states in the Gulf region.”
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baghaei, called on countries to refrain from involvement in the conflict. He stated, “If Romania places its bases at the disposal of the United States, this would be tantamount to participating in military aggression against Iran.” Baghaei asserted that such a move would be unacceptable under international law and could lead to international repercussions for Romania.
Additionally, the Romanian MFA spokesperson reiterated in a post on X that “for over 10 years, Romania has hosted missile defence capabilities aimed at countering threats originating from outside the Euro-Atlantic area. The system is strictly defensive in nature and serves solely for self-defence purposes, in accordance with the UN Charter.”
The spokesperson underscored Romania’s commitment to diplomatic efforts to de-escalate, which have been a priority since the onset of the conflict. Furthermore, the MFA condemned “Iran’s completely unjustified attacks against states in the Gulf region” and urged Iran to cease these actions, which jeopardise lives, threaten global security, and negatively impact the global economy. The spokesperson also expressed appreciation to those nations that are ensuring the safety of Romanian citizens in Gulf countries.
