Adis Ahmetovic, a foreign policy expert from the Social Democratic Party (SPD), regards the announcement by US President Donald Trump to impose a fee for passage through the Strait of Hormuz as a clear sign of desperation. The SPD parliamentary group spokesperson from Funke Mediengruppe stated that “Trump’s announcement is the next act of escalation in a situation of despair, as he has gotten himself into trouble regarding the Iran war.” Ahmetovic insists that de-escalation, rather than new provocations, is necessary from all sides.
Ahmetovic further emphasized that the freedom of shipping in international waters must neither be politicized nor economically exploited. He stressed that this warning applies equally to the Iranian regime and to the US President. The SPD Member of Parliament warned that if the conflict continues to spiral out of control, the Strait of Hormuz will not remain the sole dangerous crisis point. To prevent a wider war, he stressed that European NATO nations must work closely with their global partners.
