Germany says war against Iran is “not a NATO concern”

“NATO is an alliance for the defense of the territory of its members and there is no mandate for NATO to deploy this operation (in Iran),” said German government spokesman Stefan Kornelius.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz later reinforced that Berlin does not intend to send troops or participate in military actions in the Middle East. According to him, the ongoing war against Iran was started without prior consultation by the US and Israel with their European allies.

“Neither the United States nor Israel consulted Germany before the attacks, so the question of how we could contribute militarily does not arise. We will not do so,” he declared.

The German position was given after the President of the United States, Donald Trump, defended that NATO participate in an operation to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, through which around 20% of the oil and liquefied natural gas sold in the world passes. Iran has threatened to attack vessels sailing through the region.

Trump said the alliance could face a “very bad future” if allies do not help ensure the security of the sea route. The president also said that the United States has protected its partners for decades and called for greater European participation in the ongoing conflict.

The European Union (EU) also ruled out expanding the mandate of its naval missions to operate in the Strait of Hormuz. According to the bloc’s head of diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, the priority now is to seek a diplomatic way out of the crisis and avoid a military escalation in the Middle East.

Governments such as Italy, Spain, Greece, Sweden and Denmark have also indicated that they do not plan to send warships to the Middle East. European authorities argue that military intervention could widen the conflict and drag NATO into a war that does not directly involve the territory of its members. The blockage of the Strait of Hormuz has caused an increase in the price of oil.