Relationship dossier
Bulgaria
Iran
Relationship assessment
Bulgaria–Iran ties include bilateral economic engagement alongside constraints from EU policy toward Iran.
Bulgaria toward Iran
+20The Bulgarian government hosted Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in 2016 and concluded bilateral cooperation agreements. As an EU member, Bulgaria has also applied EU measures concerning Iran.
Iran toward Bulgaria
+20The Iranian government sent President Hassan Rouhani to Bulgaria in 2016, where the two governments concluded cooperation agreements.
Overall relationship
+15The relationship has included high-level engagement and agreements aimed at bilateral cooperation, notably in 2016. Its practical scope is unclear, while Bulgaria’s participation in EU policy toward Iran has placed limits on the relationship.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Bulgaria and Iran have pursued bilateral economic engagement, including a 2016 visit by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to Bulgaria during which the governments signed cooperation agreements. The relationship has also operated within the constraints of European Union policy toward Iran, including measures related to the nuclear dispute. The scope and implementation of bilateral cooperation are unclear.
Key developments
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani visited Bulgaria, and the two governments concluded bilateral cooperation agreements.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of the cooperation agreements signed in 2016 are unclear.
- The extent of subsequent bilateral economic cooperation is uncertain.