Overview
- Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Germany is not taking part in the war against Iran and does not intend to join it.
- He stated there is currently no reason to consider a mission to protect merchant shipping, including through the Strait of Hormuz.
- Merz delivered the remarks during a visit to Norway following NATO exercises alongside Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.
- He criticized a U.S. 30‑day waiver that permits limited purchases of stranded Russian oil intended to ease market strains.
- German officials have warned about the absence of a clear international plan to end the conflict and about knock‑on risks to energy, the broader economy, and migration, with Brent crude reported above $100.