FT: NATO chief’s pro-US Iran comments spark frustration in Europe

Several European countries have expressed displeasure over NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s statements supporting U.S. President Donald Trump’s Iran policy, the Financial Times (FT) reports, citing diplomats.

According to sources, Rutte’s proposal for possible European participation in operations in the Strait of Hormuz puts them “in a really awkward and uncomfortable spot,” as the EU is not ready to become involved in the conflict. European concerns over the Middle East escalation, which has driven sharp rises in oil and gas prices, contrast sharply with Rutte’s comments, made in apparent efforts to please Washington and maintain U.S. engagement in NATO affairs.

Diplomats highlighted the gap between Rutte’s words and the majority opinion of European capitals. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas emphasised that “this is not our war,” a stance echoed by officials in Germany, Italy, and Spain. A NATO spokesperson told the FT that the alliance is not engaged in combat operations but is monitoring the situation.

The tensions stem from the February 28 U.S.–Israeli military operation against Iran, which targeted major Iranian cities, including Tehran. In retaliation, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched attacks on Israel and U.S. facilities in Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia. On March 11, Iran’s central military command warned that it would block oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz related to the U.S. and its allies—a passage through which roughly one-fifth of global oil exports flows.