German defence minister says Trump “plugged” Strait of Hormuz

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has accused US President Donald Trump of being responsible for the newly emerging crisis around the Strait of Hormuz, Stern reports.

The outlet said, according to Pistorius, Berlin’s participation in a potential international mission to secure the strait would only be possible with a UN mandate and the consent of coastal states Iran and Oman.

“Ultimately, it was Trump who plugged the Strait of Hormuz. But we are interested in pulling that plug out again,” Pistorius said.

“It remains unclear whether the German Bundestag will be able to take a decision on the matter before the summer recess,” he noted.

Chair of the Bundestag Defence Committee Thomas Röwekamp said Germany has already deployed two naval vessels to the region for operational readiness, but legal grounds for participation in any operation have not yet been established.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov