The German parliament could vote on participation in an operation in the Strait of Hormuz before the summer break in July, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Wednesday.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Group of 7 (G7) summit in Évian, Merz said the German government is prepared to assist in securing a ceasefire and is drawing up the relevant text for a mandate.
Any deployment would be “subject to a whole series of conditions that have not yet been met,” Merz added. “That is why there is no immediate urgency.”
The Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route between The Gulf and the Arabian Sea, has been at a virtual standstill since the United States and Israel launched a war on Iran at the end of February.
The waterway, which is crucial to the global oil and gas trade, is due to be reopened under the terms of a ceasefire deal between the United States and Iran that has been digitally signed. It is expected to be signed in person on Friday in Switzerland.
Germany has pledged to provide a mine hunter and a supply ship to secure the important trade route once the war comes to an end. Both ships are already in the eastern Mediterranean.
The final say rests with the lower house of the German parliament, or Bundestag, which must approve any armed overseas deployment of the German armed forces, even a "defensive" mission.
The Bundestag, still has two regular weeks in session before breaking for the summer recess on July 10.
If the government decides on joining a mission, Merz expects that a parliamentary vote would be held towards the end of the last week before the summer recess.
"In that respect, there is no time pressure at the moment," he reiterated.
