Germany will soon send a minesweeper to the Mediterranean for a possible mission in the Strait of Hormuz after the end of the US-Iran war, a defense ministry spokeswoman told AFP on Saturday.
Several countries have said they are ready to take part in a “neutral” mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz, which the United States said last week was in the process of demining alongside Tehran, although this has not been confirmed by Iran.
The German Navy’s Fulda will be deployed “in the coming days,” the spokeswoman said. The goal is to make an “important and visible contribution to an international coalition seeking to protect freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz,” she said.
Minesweepers are specialized vessels used to detect and lay naval mines.
The ship will be deployed with a crew of about 45 people. But any settlement in the straits will only happen after “a permanent end to hostilities” and approval by the lower house of the German parliament.
The war in Iran began on February 28 with airstrikes by the United States and Israel.
In response, the Iranian military closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of global oil shipments usually pass, leading to a spike in energy prices.
There were prospects for new negotiations between the United States and Iran for a possible end to the war taking place this weekend in Pakistan. Both sides have sent envoys to Islamabad.
(adm)
