Report: Iran to recall Bulgaria ambassador
Sofia news agency says Tehran slated to downgrade relations with Bulgaria after it placed responsibility for Burgas attack on Hezbollah
Iran is also slated to downgrade its diplomatic relations with Bulgaria. On Friday, Ambassador Gholamreza Bageri denied Iran's involvement in the attack that killed five Israelis and one Bulgarian last July.
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- Iran denies involvement in Burgas attack
- Hezbollah official: Israel inciting against us
- Bulgaria says Hezbollah behind Burgas bombing
"This (the attack) has nothing to do with Iran," Gholamreza Bageri told reporters. "We are against any form of terrorism and strongly condemn such actions."
Bus after bombing in Burgas (Photo: Reuters)
Bulgaria on Tuesday accused Iranian-backed Hezbollah of carrying out the July attack, a charge the Lebanese terrorist movement dismissed as part of a smear campaign by its arch foe Israel.
The conclusions of the Bulgarian investigation may open the way for the European Union to join the United States in branding the Iranian-backed group a terrorist organization since there is now a clear connection to an attack on EU territory.
Europol chief Rob Wainwright (Photo: AP)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the Bulgarian probe's findings "are clear. Hezbollah is directly responsible for the horrendous Burgas attack."
In his statement the prime minister added: "The findings are an additional confirmation to what we already know. Hezbollah and its patron, Iran, are running a global terror campaign across borders and continents.
However, Europol chief Rob Wainwright said that the agency, which has sent experts to assist in the investigation, did not find any direct link to Iran or al-Qaeda-inspired terror groups.
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