German political parties unite in opposition to deploying European warships to the Strait of Hormuz, citing military impracticality and danger.
BERLIN: A cross-party consensus has emerged in Germany against deploying European warships to the Strait of Hormuz to protect shipping from Iranian attacks, as demanded by US President Donald Trump.
Jürgen Hardt, foreign policy spokesman for Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative bloc, argued that naval units would be insufficient to secure the narrow waterway, a crucial chokepoint for global oil supplies.
He warned that Iran could easily launch attacks from its densely populated mainland using mortars or simple drones.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul also rejected military involvement in the strait on Sunday.
Adis Ahmetovic, foreign policy expert for the junior coalition partner Social Democrats, suggested Trump had miscalculated the duration of the US-Israeli campaign against Iran launched on Feb 28.
He stated that while the German Navy is capable, its current capabilities are not geared towards participating in such a scenario.
Alice Weidel, co-leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany, said not even the US Navy could ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
She concluded that a deployment of the “small German Navy — even within the framework of the EU — would be illusory and highly dangerous.”
