When the President of the United States, Donald Trump, asked countries to join international efforts against Iran and sent ships to open the Strait of Hormuz, whose close closure has made the world economy worse, he was angered by some of the closest allies of the United States.
Using unusual language, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told his country’s lawmakers on Wednesday that he agreed Iran must not be allowed to pose a threat to its neighbors but expressed doubts about the logic of a US-Israeli war.
“Until today, there is no convincing plan on how this operation can be successful. Washington has not consulted us and did not say that European support was necessary,” he told lawmakers.
“We would advise against following this action as it is being pursued. Therefore, we have announced that as long as the war continues, we will not participate in ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, for example, by military means.”
European leaders have refused to be directly involved in US-Israeli military operations against Iran, fearing being drawn into an unpredictable conflict whose goals they do not fully understand and are unpopular with their citizens.
In doing so, they calculate that the benefits of staying on the sidelines outweigh the many risks to a transatlantic relationship that is already under significant strain from everything from the Ukraine war to tax disputes.
