Serbian ultranationalist groups support Iran, cite attack on US Bondsteel base in Kosovo

In Serbia, a section of ultranationalist and far-right groups on social media are openly supporting Iran following the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East.

These groups, which have long promoted anti-Western and pro-Russian narratives, have published messages in support of Tehran and even called for attacks on the US Bondsteel military base in Kosovo.

Various channels on the Telegram platform, with tens of thousands of followers, have commented on the developments of the war almost daily, presenting Iran as an ally in the “global war against the West.” According to analysts, this rhetoric is part of a broader anti-NATO and anti-American discourse that has been present for years among a segment of the Serbian radical right.

One figure who regularly shares such content is Dejan Berić, a Serbian national who previously fought in Ukraine on the side of Russia. His Telegram channel, followed by more than 100 people, has published numerous posts since the start of the US and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28. These posts share statements by Iranian officials, videos of bombings in Israel, and propaganda narratives against the United States.

Berić has also claimed that the restrictions imposed by the American satellite imaging company Planet Labs on the publication of photos from the Middle East were not done to deter Iran, but to hide the damage that he says the US and its allies have suffered.

Meanwhile, several other Telegram channels have gone even further, calling for Iran to attack the US military base Bondsteel in Kosovo. Some of the posts have also published the coordinates of the base and links to digital maps showing its location.

Security expert and researcher Hikmet Karçıc believes that these groups' support for Iran does not necessarily stem from ideological proximity to the Iranian regime, but from strong opposition to the West.

"According to this perception, any actor that is in conflict with the United States and its allies is seen as a potential ally," he says.

Karčić adds that ultranationalist groups try to link global conflicts to local issues, especially Kosovo. In this context, the Bondsteel base is often mentioned as a symbol of the American presence in the region.

Support for Iran has also been evident on the ground. On March 7, a small rally in support of the Iranian people was organized in Belgrade by the right-wing organization “Conservative Nashi Movement.” Iranian and Belarusian flags were displayed at the rally, while organizers expressed solidarity with Tehran and with countries that, according to them, “oppose Western domination.”

The conflict in the Middle East escalated on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched air strikes on targets in Iran. The strikes killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several senior officials. Iran responded by launching drones and missiles at Israel and at US military bases in the Persian Gulf region.

According to data published by Iranian authorities, during the first two weeks of the conflict, thousands of civilian objects were bombed and over 1.300 civilians were killed. On the other hand, the Pentagon announced that several American soldiers were killed and dozens of others were injured in Iranian attacks.

Analysts warn that the narrative spread by extremist groups on social media reinforces anti-Western propaganda and attempts to link the global conflict to political tensions in the Balkans. /REL