Germany to send minesweeper for possible Strait of Hormuz mission

BERLIN – Germany will soon send a minesweeper to the Mediterranean for a possible mission in the Strait of Hormuz after the end of the US-Iran war, a Defence Ministry spokeswoman said on April 25.

Several countries have said they are ready to take part in a “neutral” mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz, which the United States said last week it was in the process of de-mining together with Tehran, although this has not been confirmed by Iran.

The German navy’s Fulda will be deployed “in the coming days”, the spokeswoman said.

The aim is to make a “significant and visible contribution to an international coalition seeking to protect freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz”, she said.

Minesweepers are specialised vessels used to detect and set off naval mines.

The ship will be stationed with a crew of about 45. But any deployment in the strait will only happen after “a lasting end in hostilities” and approval from the German Parliament’s Lower House.

The war in Iran began on Feb 28 with air strikes by the US and Israel.

In response, the Iranian army effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of global oil shipments usually pass, leading to a rise in energy prices.

There were prospects of new negotiations between the US and Iran on a possible end to the war taking place this weekend in Pakistan. Both sides have sent envoys to Islamabad. AFP