European plans for a potential deployment in the Strait of Hormuz are slowly taking shape. According to a government spokesperson speaking to the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” on Wednesday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) is scheduled to travel to Paris this Friday for consultations on the matter.
France’s President, Emmanuel Macron, has invited partners to these discussions in the French capital on Friday. Attendees expected include British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, with plans to include other world leaders virtually.
The goal of these consultations is to achieve a political consensus regarding the fundamental aspects of the operation, which is considered sensitive in various ways. A report from the “Wall Street Journal” suggests that France aims for a deployment that excludes major war-fighting parties in the Gulf, including the United States.
Furthermore, as reported by “Welt” Europeans allegedly discussed a military operation within NATO several weeks ago to protect the Strait of Hormuz. A preliminary openness to participate in such an operation was signaled by eight to ten nations, including France, Britain, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, and Germany. The stated objective of such an effort is to secure maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, particularly for oil tankers. Discussions reportedly covered the necessity of sea-based reconnaissance and anti-mine vessels for this operation.
However, the involvement of the German armed forces was not discussed. According to “Welt” during internal NATO talks, it was made clear that a ceasefire is a fundamental prerequisite for any military operation. This suggests that, at the very least, Iran must not block the passage. Nevertheless, the situation escalated shortly after these plans were made, leading the US to announce a sea blockade. Consequently, a concrete operation was not planned, though it has remained a constant topic of discussion.
