Germany could recall the two naval vessels despatched to Djibouti if conditions for deployment to the Strait of Hormuz are not met soon, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said in Berlin on Wednesday
"They will not wait forever," Pistorius told a press conference held with Chancellor Friedrich Merz and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
He noted that it was impossible to foresee when conditions would be met for operations to secure the key shipping route.
Germany sent the minesweeper Fulda and the supply ship Mosel to the region in mid-June in preparation for mine clearance operations.
However, such a deployment would require an agreement on a lasting end to hostilities, the consent of the neighbouring states of Iran and Oman, and the necessary legal approvals, including authorization from the German parliament.
"At the moment, there is no scenario that I can see in the days and weeks ahead that the cork will be released from the bottle quickly and that we can enter the Strait of Hormuz to clear mines," Pistorius said.
He added that on Tuesday Iran had issued a clear refusal to France for a mission of this kind.
