Merz says army could be involved in mine-clearing from Hormuz

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz says he can envisage the country’s Bundeswehr armed forces being deployed to clear mines in the Strait of Hormuz once the war in Iran has ended.

“We can do that. And if we are asked to do so and it takes place within the framework of a genuine collective security mandate – that is, the United Nations, NATO, the European Union – with a resolution from the Bundestag, that is an option,” he said at a event organized by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung daily in Frankfurt on Friday evening.

“We could achieve that militarily,” the chancellor added. The Bundeswehr has several minesweepers.

Merz also noted that the Strait of Hormuz is currently “obviously not mined at all.” Nor does he know whether Iran is planning to do so.

“So we’re discussing this in rather theoretical terms,” the chancellor added.