Germany is ready to participate in the international mine clearance operation in the Strait of Hormuz, but will do so only if precise political and legal conditions are met. This follows from the statements of the German Minister of Foreign Affairs, Johannn Wadephul, for the ZDF television, which were reported by the DPA agency, writes TASR.
- Germany is ready to participate in demining the Strait of Hormuz conditionally.
- The participation of Germany comes into consideration only after the end of the fighting in the area.
- The deployment of the Bundeswehr requires a legal basis and the prior approval of the Bundestag.
- European leaders are planning a purely defensive independent mission to secure shipping.
- Europe will make the easing of sanctions against Iran conditional on strict nuclear guarantees.
The head of German diplomacy emphasized that Berlin can consider participating in such a mission only when it is clear that the fighting in the area is over and at the same time support from the United States and Iran is guaranteed. According to him, it must be certain that there are no more hostile actions and that both countries are interested in third countries ensuring the demining of the strategic maritime route. Only then, according to Wadephul, is it possible to open a political discussion about German participation.
Conditions of participation
At the same time, the minister pointed out that any participation of the German armed forces in the operation in the Strait of Hormuz will require a clear legal basis. It must be in accordance with both international law and national rules, and the consent of the Bundestag is also necessary. Wadephul claims that Germany is ready for such a mission, but, according to him, the political and legal conditions for quickly obtaining a parliamentary mandate have not yet been met.
The statements of the German minister follow a joint announcement by the leaders of several European countries. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni declared on Monday night that they want to support the restoration of safe shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. They plan to do this through a “purely defensive, independent mission” that will include demining this key maritime corridor. The joint statement came after the announcement of an agreement between Washington and Tehran to end the war.
Core condition
At the same time, Wadephul pointed out that the upcoming agreement between the United States and Iran, which is expected to be signed on Friday, must also include the issue of Iran’s nuclear program. According to him, it is essential that Tehran understands that it cannot have nuclear weapons, and Germany is completely clear about this requirement.
The minister added that Berlin, together with Britain, France and Italy, will insist on clear guarantees in the nuclear field. Without them, according to Wadephul, the European states will not be able to proceed with the easing of sanctions against Iran. The European willingness to ease economic pressure on Tehran is thus conditioned by how the regime of restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program will be set and observed.
