Germany ties Hormuz mission participation to clarity on US-Iran agreement

Germany will not commit to joining a mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz until it has seen the details of a potential agreement between the United States and Iran, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said.

Speaking alongside Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski in Berlin, Wadephul said Berlin required greater clarity before it could define the scope of any possible deployment.

“A prerequisite for us to be able to draw up a mandate is that the actual conditions are clear. That begins with my wanting to know what the 14 points presented by the United States and Iran are — not only from press statements, but officially. I want to understand them. I want to know what they contain,” Wadephul told reporters.

Wadephul also echoed remarks made by French President Emmanuel Macron during the G7 leaders’ summit on Tuesday. Macron said France could be prepared to rapidly deploy fighter jets and frigates, but only if a request came not only from the United States but also from Iran and Oman.

“Germany must know whether such a mission is possible in that maritime region. That means the coastal states must give their consent,” Wadephul said.

“So far, there has been at least some ambiguity on the Iranian side, and even statements rejecting the idea have been heard. I do not know whether that is the final decision. But it is clear to us that these prerequisites must be clarified.”

Germany is ultimately expected to contribute to any mission by deploying mine countermeasure vessels. However, Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government has repeatedly stressed that it requires a clear legal basis before taking such a step.

Wadephul and his Polish counterpart said this objective could also be achieved by expanding the mandate of Europe’s Aspides mission, the European Union military operation launched in 2024 to address what they described as the “Houthi threat” to maritime shipping in the Red Sea.

“From the perspective of the German government, the European Union’s Aspides mission also provides a suitable basis for reinforcing our European responsibility and establishing a legal foundation,” Wadephul said.

“That is why I once again propose that we discuss adapting this mandate accordingly within the European framework.”

Sikorski endorsed the proposal.

“When military operations have ended, we are considering establishing a legal framework for the Aspides mission, and that would also be acceptable for Poland,” he said in Berlin.

The Aspides mission currently covers the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman, but does not extend to the Strait of Hormuz. European Union leaders rejected a proposal to expand the mission during a summit in March.