Islam Times – German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius blames Donald Trump for the Strait of Hormuz closure, calling for its reopening amid rising US-Iran tensions and energy concerns.German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has blamed US President Donald Trump for the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, calling for the strategic waterway to be reopened amid growing concerns over global energy security.
“Ultimately, the cork in the bottle neck of the Strait of Hormuz was pushed in by Donald Trump, not by us, but we have an interest in getting it out again,” Pistorius said in an interview with broadcaster ARD.
The United States imposed a complete blockade of the Strait of Hormuz despite Iran’s flexibility in allowing freedom of navigation for non-hostile states, raising global oil prices and driving a severe global energy crisis.
After a memorandum was signed between Iran and the United States, which mandated the halt of military aggression against Lebanon, Israeli attacks continued, triggering the closure of the strategic waterway by Iran.
Pistorius stressed that reopening the strait, or ensuring safe passage through it, is essential for Europe’s economic stability and energy supply. “The opening of the Strait of Hormuz, or rather safe passage through it, is in Europe’s interest, in the interest of our energy supply and our economic recovery,” he said.
Calls for diplomatic coordination
The German defense minister added that any agreement to reopen the strait would require cooperation with Iran and Oman.
Berlin has repeatedly distanced itself from Trump’s Iran policy, a stark reversal of its previous position, although German officials have avoided directly assigning full responsibility to Washington for the wider war.
At the onset of the US-Israeli war, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said, “Germany is not part of this war, and we do not want to become part of it,” emphasizing Berlin’s reluctance to become directly involved in the ongoing confrontation affecting the waterway.
However, Germany has recently deployed two vessels to the Red Sea in preparation for a potential military mission in the Strait of Hormuz, Pistorius said on Thursday.
Speaking to reporters ahead of a meeting with NATO counterparts in Brussels, Pistorius confirmed that the mine-hunter Fulda and the supply ship Mosel are currently transiting the Suez Canal toward the Red Sea.
The minister added that any participation in mine-clearance operations would require approval from both Iran and Oman. He also noted that the mission’s eventual scope would depend on the progress of ongoing negotiations between Iran and the United States, Reuters reported.