German FM travels to US for UN Security Council talks on Strait of Hormuz

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is set to travel to New York on April 27 to participate in a United Nations Security Council meeting expected to focus on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.

Wadephul is scheduled to deliver a speech during a debate on maritime security, with discussions likely to address efforts to restore oil and gas trade through the strategic waterway, which has become a key flashpoint in the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, Caliber.Az reports, citing German media. 

During his two-day visit, he will also attend the review conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, which begins on April 27. The meeting comes amid heightened tensions, as the United States and Israel have partly justified their military actions against Iran by citing concerns over its nuclear programme.

Iran has consistently denied seeking to develop nuclear weapons, maintaining that its nuclear activities are for civilian purposes. Prior to the escalation on February 28, Washington and Tehran had been engaged in negotiations over Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

On the sidelines of the visit, Wadephul is expected to hold talks with António Guterres and other senior UN officials, as Germany seeks to bolster support for its bid for a non-permanent seat on the Security Council.

The Security Council, responsible for maintaining international peace and security, is the only UN body empowered to adopt legally binding resolutions, including sanctions and the authorization of military action. It comprises five permanent members with veto power — Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States — alongside 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms.

By Sabina Mammadli