Germany rules out joining international military mission to protect Strait of Hormuz

BERLIN

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on Sunday that his country will not participate in an international military mission to protect merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

“Will we soon become an active part of this conflict? No,” Wadephul told public broadcaster ARD.

The federal government has a very clear position on this, which Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius have made clear. “We will not take part in this conflict,” he added.

Wadephul said that the message coming from the US and Israel is that the goal is to destroy Iran’s military capabilities, particularly its nuclear and missile programs.

“And what we now expect is to be told and informed and to be involved once this has happened. And then we would very much like to participate in entering into negotiations,” he added.

Security for the Strait of Hormuz will only be achieved if there is a negotiated solution and if we then also discuss it with the Iranians, according to Wadephul.

US President Donald Trump had promised military assistance from many unnamed countries to secure shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global oil transport. Shipping traffic there has virtually ground to a halt, driving up oil prices.

On Monday, the foreign ministers of the EU member states will meet in person in Brussels for the first time since the start of the Iran conflict.

Hostilities have escalated since Feb. 28, when Israel and the US launched joint attacks on Iran, killing more than 1,200 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets. Tehran also closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key transit route for oil tankers, driving up shipping and insurance costs and pushing global oil prices higher.

Expansion of an EU mission?

Referring to a possible expansion of the EU's Operation Aspides—a mission primarily focused on the Red Sea—Wadephul said it has not yet been effective.

“And that is why I am very skeptical as to whether expanding Aspides to the Strait of Hormuz could provide greater security. We will now discuss all of this calmly together. We are participating constructively in this,” he added.

In February 2024, the European Union decided to launch Operation Aspides to protect shipping in the Red Sea. A frigate from the German Armed Forces also participated in the operation.