Ayhan Şimşek
17 June 2026•Update: 17 June 2026
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Wednesday proposed expanding the EU’s Aspides naval mission to include potential mine-clearing operations in the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking at a joint news conference with his Polish counterpart in Berlin, Wadephul said Germany is willing to contribute to securing maritime navigation in the strait, but emphasized that any deployment requires a firm international legal mandate.
“The EU’s Aspides mandate offers a suitable basis for anchoring our European responsibility in this region and providing a legal framework,” Wadephul told reporters, referring to the current EU mission tasked with escorting commercial vessels through the Red Sea.
“I once again propose that we discuss—within the European framework—adjusting this mandate accordingly, thereby demonstrating that we Europeans are ready to step up when the situation demands it,” he said, adding that such a move could make decision-making easier.
Asked when the German government would seek parliamentary approval to deploy naval ships to the Strait of Hormuz, Wadephul said they must first obtain official details of the recent US-Iran framework agreement.
“The prerequisite for us to draft a mandate for parliamentary approval is clarity regarding the actual conditions on the ground,” Wadephul said. “And that begins with knowing the 14 points agreed between the US and Iran—not just from press reports, but through official channels.”
Wadephul stressed that his ministry must determine whether such a mission is operationally feasible. He noted that any deployment would require the consent of regional littoral states, which would depend heavily on the final terms of the U.S.-Iran accord.
“So far, there is a lack of clarity on this point. There have been even some expressions of rejection from the Iranian side,” Wadephul said. “I do not know if that is the final word. But for us, it is clear that these preconditions must be clarified; only then can we work on the text of a mandate.”
