[“After safety, only then can people be brave”: German Chancellor Merz sets conditions for Strait escort mission]
"I spoke again with President Trump. I urged him to take the negotiations seriously and participate in them. At the same time, I assured him that after a peace agreement is reached, Germany will assist in ensuring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz—but only if authorized by the United Nations and accompanied by a feasible implementation plan."
The conditions under which Germany would participate in escorting vessels through the Strait of Hormuz can be summarized as three essential requirements: first, peace must be achieved in the Middle East; second, authorization from the UN Security Council is required; third, a viable operational plan must exist. These three criteria collectively mean that Germany is highly unlikely to actually deploy troops to the Strait in the short term—this move is more symbolic and diplomatic than substantive.
Moreover, Merz’s conditions for the escort mission clearly conflict with Iran’s demands. Iran currently insists on maintaining control over Strait navigation itself, whereas Germany advocates for “freedom of navigation under international guarantees”—a logic fundamentally opposed to Iran’s position. The proposal backed by Trump, involving joint U.S.-Iran commercial management of the Strait, also contradicts the principle of "free navigation."
During periods of intense conflict, European nations such as Germany and France remained passive, even risking Trump’s displeasure. Now that there appears to be a chance for peace talks, they are attempting to re-enter the mediation process in the Middle East. Yet they remain unwilling to assume risks, avoid offending the United States, and refrain from provoking Iran—resulting in cautious, largely symbolic statements with limited actual impact on the course of events.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1862007150606348/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of its author.