Germany rules out participation in anti-Iran offensive ahead of Merz-Trump talks

Ahead of today’s (March 3) summit between Chancellor Friedrich Merz and US President Donald Trump, the German government has ruled out joining any military offensive against Iran.

Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul stated on Monday that Germany has no intention of supporting, in any capacity, military operations undertaken by the US or Israel.

Meanwhile, US-Israeli aggression and Iranian retaliatory actions have impacted German troops stationed in Iraq and Jordan.

Iran’s counter-strikes targeted a military base at Erbil International Airport and the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base near al-Azraq, approximately 100 kilometers east of the Jordanian capital, Amman. Both facilities are utilized primarily by US forces, making them clear targets for Tehran.

German personnel are also present at these bases: serving as military trainers in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, and as part of the anti-ISIS mission at al-Azraq.

According to the German government, approximately 500 troops are deployed in the region, though the number in Erbil has already been drawn down, with plans to reduce personnel at al-Azraq as well, where feasible.

According to the German Armed Forces, Iranian counter-strikes to date have been successfully repelled; only one US soldier was injured in Erbil.

Beyond these two bases, the frigate Nordrhein-Westfalen is currently patrolling off the coast of Cyprus as part of the UNIFIL mission. UNIFIL’s mandate includes training the Lebanese Navy, among other duties. Germany’s commitment to this mission concludes in June.

The German government categorically rejects allegations that German troops stationed in the Middle East are in any way involved in a war with Iran.

A joint statement issued Sunday by Germany, France, and the UK—noting that the nations would “take all necessary measures to defend our interests in the region and those of our allies”—had fueled speculation regarding an escalation into war.

Addressing this, Foreign Minister Wadephul officially rejected the scenario of British-backed US support following retaliatory strikes on British bases in Cyprus.

Wadephul emphasized that there are no German bases that the US could utilize for an offensive, adding that Berlin has “absolutely no intention” of supporting or participating in any military action against Tehran.

The Minister stated that German troops will only act in self-defense against direct attacks.

Adis Ahmetovic, the foreign policy spokesman for the SPD parliamentary group in the Bundestag, echoed this sentiment: “Germany will not be a party to this war, as it was not in the Iraq war in 2003.”

Faced with the US and Israeli decision to strike Iran, Chancellor Friedrich Merz is avoiding an open confrontation with the US President.

According to Politico, Merz’s assessment is described as “rather pessimistic,” questioning: “Who are we, as Europeans, to judge?”

While the German leader remains deeply concerned that the conflict in the Middle East could spiral out of control with severe consequences for Europe, he stated prior to his meeting with Trump in the Oval Office today (March 3) that he is not in a position to criticize the US President.

Speaking in Berlin a day before his departure for the US, Merz remarked, “Now is not the time to lecture our partners and allies,” adding:

“The German government’s view of developments in Iran is rooted in our own geopolitical vulnerability; the Russian war against Ukraine is in no way inferior to the injustice of the Iranian regime.”

According to sources close to the Chancellor, Merz has established a relatively positive relationship with Trump. He intends to leverage this rapport to ensure the President remains aligned with Europe on two issues deemed vital for the EU: continued support for Ukraine and the administration’s tariff plans, which face massive uncertainty following the US Supreme Court’s rejection of Trump’s previous tariff regime.

Furthermore, Merz stated on Sunday that his government is drawing “sober conclusions” from the failures of its policy toward Tehran.

The Chancellor noted that the failure of “European appeals” and sanctions packages stems from Europe’s lack of “readiness to enforce its core interests with military force.”

Meanwhile, the EU is attempting to further escalate tensions between the two sides.

In a statement Sunday evening, EU foreign ministers declared: “Iran’s attacks and the violation of the sovereignty of a number of countries in the region are unacceptable.”

The ministers stated that Iran must urgently “refrain from indiscriminate military attacks.”

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas plans to convene a video conference between EU foreign ministers and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)—comprising Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman.

According to German Foreign Policy, the objective is to leverage the conflict to further isolate Iran politically and strengthen the EU’s own position.