Germany blames US president for Strait of Hormuz crisis

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius on Monday blamed US President Donald Trump for the ongoing crisis surrounding the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.

Ultimately, Trump “pushed the cork into the Strait of Hormuz. But we have an interest in getting it out again,” Pistorius told public broadcaster ARD.

However, one of the prerequisites for a German military (Bundeswehr) mission to secure shipping in the strait is the consent of the neighboring countries, Iran and Oman, he added.

The German government has repeatedly stressed on the need for the free passage of the Strait of Hormuz.

Pistorius cautioned that parliamentary approval from the Bundestag for a Bundeswehr mission in the Strait of Hormuz is unlikely to come quickly.

It is “completely open” whether the Bundestag will pass a resolution before the summer recess, he said.

On the one hand, because it is unclear whether the negotiations between the US and Iran in Switzerland would actually lead to a stable ceasefire, and on the other hand, a mandate from the Bundestag requires an international framework, Pistorius added.

While it would be “desirable” for this to happen before the summer recess, "ultimately, that is a decision the Bundestag must make,” the minister said.