Berlin: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Thursday that Germany is committed to bringing an end to Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and stands ready to engage militarily to ensure the freedom of navigation, if necessary conditions are met.
Speaking during a visit to the German Army Bundeswehr in the northern city of Munster, Merz warned that a prolonged blockade of the Strait of Hormuz would cause “massive economic damage for us all.”
“The work carried out by the Bundeswehr in Munster is not only impressive, but also represents an important and indispensable contribution to a strong, united NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation),” said Merz, Xinhua news agency reported.
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday on social media that the United States is studying and reviewing a possible reduction of troops in Germany.
More than 36,000 US troops are known to be stationed in Germany,
In recent days, Trump and Merz lashed out at each other over the Iran war. Merz criticised the United States for its “planless” military engagement in Iran, saying that the United States “is being humiliated by the Iranian leadership.”
In response, Trump wrote on social media that Merz “doesn’t know what he’s talking about” and is indifferent to Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
In the midst of the war against the Islamic Republic, Trump repeatedly criticised NATO members for not acceding to his call for naval assistance to help secure the crucial Strait of Hormuz that Iran has effectively blocked with retaliatory missile and drone strikes.
Trump called NATO “cowards”, saying the US will “remember” its members’ reluctance to support the US military campaign against Iran.
He has also rebuked South Korea for being “not helpful” to the US, noting that America has put its troops “in harm’s way” in the Asian country “right next to” North Korea’s “nuclear force.”
(IANS)
