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Berlin and Warsaw have both said the EU’s existing Aspides mandate to address threats in the Red Sea could provide a legal basis for a mission in the Persian Gulf.
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German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul smiles as he arrives at the foreign ministry in Berlin on June 17, 2026. | Ralf Hirschberger/AFP via Getty Images
June 17, 2026
5:52 pm CET
BERLIN — German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul urged the U.S. and Iran to make public the details of their peace agreement on Wednesday, saying Berlin could only consider joining a mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz once the terms are clear.
The U.S. and Iran are due to sign their memorandum of understanding toward ending over three months of conflict in the Middle East on Friday. The document hasn’t yet been released, leaving questions as to its exact provisions and whether the agreement is as robust as Washington has suggested.
“The prerequisite for us to be able to draft a mandate is that we have clarity on the actual conditions,” Wadephul told reporters alongside his Polish counterpart Radosław Sikorski in Berlin. “And that starts with my wanting to know — not just from press releases, but officially — the 14 points put forward by the U.S. and Iran. I want to understand them. I want to know what they entail.”
Wadephul also echoed comments by French President Emmanuel Macron, who said at a summit of G7 leaders Tuesday that he could be ready to deploy fighter jets and frigates quickly, but that a request to do so must come not only from the U.S. but also from Iran and Oman.
“Germany needs to know whether such a mission is even possible in that maritime area. That means the coastal states must give their consent,” he said. “So far, there has been at least some ambiguity on the Iranian side — even words of rejection. I don’t know if that’s the final word. But it’s clear to us that these prerequisites must be clarified.”
Germany is expected to contribute to the mission eventually by deploying minesweepers, but Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government has repeatedly stressed that it needs a clear legal basis to do so. Wadephul and his Polish counterpart both said that purpose could also be served by strengthening the mandate of Europe’s Aspides mission, an EU military operation from 2024 to address the threat of Houthi rebels to shipping in the Red Sea.
“From the German government’s perspective, the European Union’s Aspides mandate is also a suitable basis for anchoring our European responsibility there and providing a legal foundation,” Wadephul said. “And that is why I once again suggest that we discuss, within the European framework, adapting this mandate accordingly.”
Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski shared that position. “We are considering, once military operations have ended, creating a legal framework for an Aspides mission, and that would also be acceptable to Poland,” he said in Berlin.
The Aspides mandate currently covers the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman but stops short of the Strait of Hormuz. EU leaders rejected expanding it at a summit in March.
Read the full article at Politico Europe →📄Source document: German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul's statement
2 reports
Politico EuropeIndependentCenter4 days agoGermany's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul stated that Berlin would not commit to participating in a potential mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz until the details of the U.S.-Iran peace agreement are made public. The U.S. and Iran are set to sign a memorandum of understanding to end over three months of conflict in the Middle East, though the document has not yet been released. Wadephul emphasized the need for clarity on the agreement's terms before any decisions regarding military involvement can be made.
Bias read (Center): The article presents statements from German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul without overtly favoring either the U.S. or Iran. It reports on Germany's conditional stance regarding participation in a potential mission in the Persian Gulf, based on the transparency of the U.S.-Iran agreement. There is
Official sources cited
- government German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul's statement
Politico EuropeIndependentCenter8 days ago Iranian ambassador at World Cup: ‘Iran and the US can be very good friends’At the World Cup fan expo in Mexico City, Iran's delegation is promoting its culture and cuisine. Iran's ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, discussed the country's relationship with the United States, noting that visa issues affecting parts of the Iranian delegation could impact their performance. However, he emphasized that Iran's participation in the tournament on U.S. soil demonstrates its willingness to engage with the U.S., especially as both sides approach a potential peace agreement.
Bias read (Center): The article presents facts and direct quotes from Iran's ambassador without overtly biased language or selective emphasis. It reports on the situation objectively, including details about visa issues and Iran's participation in the World Cup, while avoiding explicit political commentary or loaded ph
Official sources cited
- government Abolfazl Pasandideh, Ambassador of Iran to Mexico
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