Melike Pala
17 March 2026•Update: 17 March 2026
BRUSSELS
NATO is not involved in the US and Israeli strikes on Iran, but has increased its air and missile defense readiness on its eastern flank, Bulgaria's Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov said on Tuesday.
Zapryanov stressed that the alliance is not participating in military operations against Iran and that neither NATO headquarters nor its eastern member states are involved in the strikes, Bulgarian National Radio BNR reported.
He said that NATO's air and missile defense (AD/MD) systems along the eastern flank have been placed on the highest level of readiness in response to regional tensions, but this does not equate to operational involvement in the conflict.
Zapryanov added that Greece has redeployed a Patriot air defense battery to provide additional coverage for Bulgarian airspace within the defensive framework of the alliance.
Israel and the US have continued a joint offensive on Iran since Feb. 28, killing so far around 1,300 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.
