Western powers have been closely analyzing the latest round of threats issued by Iran, which, according to the Financial Times, has left open the possibility of strikes against American targets in Europe, including both Cyprus and Bulgaria.

Against this backdrop, the Pentagon remains on constant alert, with Greek Armed Forces planners reportedly already working on certain contingency plans to ensure continued readiness.

In particular, in the case of Cyprus, Greek Air Force forces—including fighter aircraft and their crews—as well as a Greek Navy vessel have remained on the island since the period of the Iranian attacks on Akrotiri. The presence of the Greek Armed Forces there has not been interrupted; personnel and assets have simply been rotated.

As part of efforts to provide better air-defense coverage for Souda, authorities are considering moving a Patriot missile battery from Karpathos to Crete. Greece may also take protective measures concerning the wider region in the case of Bulgaria. Specifically, if the neighboring country submits a new request for assistance, the matter could be considered by the Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defense (KYSEA) favorably, with the aim of providing air-defense coverage to the area.

FT: Iran considering strikes against US targets in Europe, with Cyprus and Bulgaria reportedly in the frame

Iran has considered expanding the war beyond the Middle East and potentially striking US military targets in Europe if Donald Trump escalates the conflict further, according to people close to the Iranian regime who spoke to the Financial Times.

Two sources familiar with the discussions told the FT that Iranian forces have assessed scenarios involving attacks on US military facilities in southeastern Europe, including Bulgaria. Sofia approved the use of the Bezmer air base by US aerial-refueling aircraft last month. One of the sources said Cyprus is also among the potential targets for retaliation in the event of a new US attack. The British base at Akrotiri was hit by a drone in March.

Separately, according to the same sources, Iran’s armed forces have considered the possibility of attacking undersea fiber-optic cables in the Strait of Hormuz if the conflict escalates further.

Tehran considers another round of war increasingly likely

The threats reflect the atmosphere in Tehran, where an increasing number of regime figures reportedly believe that a resumption of military operations is more a question of “when” rather than “if.”

Negotiations over reopening the Strait of Hormuz have stalled, while last week Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, appointed hard-line figures to senior positions within the security apparatus and armed forces. On Tuesday, Donald Trump said that there were “no talks or contacts taking place or scheduled” with Tehran.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and other Iranian military commanders have warned that, in the event of another full-scale conflict, Iran would abandon its previous strategy, which focused on US military facilities, energy infrastructure and other targets in the Middle East, and would instead extend its strikes far beyond the region.

Last month, the IRGC also warned Britain over the use of British military bases by the US, stating that “any base used to launch an attack against Iranian territory will be considered a legitimate target.”

How real is the threat to Europe?

Sidharth Kaushal, a researcher at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London, described the threat posed by Iranian missiles to targets in Europe and elsewhere as “real, but limited.”

According to him, Iran could use medium-range ballistic missiles, such as those in the Shahab series, against US facilities in southern and southeastern Europe. However, he estimated that these missiles would have difficulty causing significant damage at greater distances. The scale of any Iranian retaliation would depend on Washington’s actions, according to the FT’s sources.

One source said the regime is preparing a plan to further expand the conflict if Trump carries out previous threats to attack Iranian infrastructure. Last month, the US president had said Washington would destroy an Iranian bridge or power plant each time the Islamic Republic attacked a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.

The second source said Tehran would impose “no limits” on its response in the event of a US attack.

“If the US goes too far, Iran will defend itself at any cost, move beyond the region and strike Europe as well,” the source said.