The President of Romania, Nicusor Dan, said this Wednesday (11) that the country authorized the sending of American military equipment and the use of bases on Romanian territory by United States forces to support operations against the Iranian regime. According to Dan, the American material will be moved to military installations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Romania following a decision by the Supreme Council of National Defense confirmed by Parliament.
According to Dan, the measure responds to a request from Washington to allow the temporary positioning of aircraft, monitoring equipment and satellite communication systems in Romanian bases used by the Western military alliance. The American request also includes the deployment of up to 500 military personnel to Romanian territory. The resources must be used in conjunction with the Aegis Ashore ballistic defense system, installed in the country to protect NATO allies against threats from the Middle East.
In practice, the authorization will allow American aircraft involved in the military campaign led by the United States and Israel against Iran to use Romanian air bases, including the Mihail Kogalniceanu base, located near the Black Sea coast, for refueling and logistical support for operations in the Middle East.
The Romanian president stated that the decision is defensive in nature and does not represent Romania’s direct participation in the conflict.
“These devices are defensive and are not equipped with weapons as such,” Dan told the press.
The Romanian Parliament approved the measure by a large majority, authorizing the temporary deployment of American troops and equipment for around 90 days, with the possibility of extension.
Opposition parties criticized the move and said the American military presence could increase the risk of Romania being involved in the war that began after attacks carried out by the United States and Israel against Iran at the end of February.
