BERLIN, April 9 (Reuters) – German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Thursday he did not want the NATO alliance to split over the Iran war but played down reported threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to withdraw troops from NATO countries seen as not pulling their weight.
Speaking to reporters, Merz also said Germany was resuming talks with Iran in coordination with Washington and European allies, to help end a war that has killed thousands of people and sparked an energy crisis that is also hitting Germany.
The war has put intense strain on NATO – already shaky over the war in Ukraine and other issues. Trump has repeatedly called the alliance a “paper tiger” and threatened to withdraw from the alliance in recent weeks.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has briefed some capitals that Trump wants concrete commitments within the next few days for help securing the Strait of Hormuz, two European diplomats told Reuters on Thursday.
“We do not want – I do not want – NATO to split. NATO is a guarantor of our security, including and above all in Europe,” Merz said in Berlin. He added he had encouraged Trump in a call on Wednesday to pursue talks with Iran with urgency.
HORMUZ HELP CONTINGENT ON PEACE AND MANDATE, MERZ SAYS
Merz said he told Trump that Germany was prepared to help secure the Strait of Hormuz – the vital shipping lane whose near total closure has sparked a global energy crisis – once a longterm ceasefire was agreed.
But Germany would need both an international mandate, ideally from the United Nations Security Council, as well as a resolution from the German parliament, he said.
“The U.S. President is well aware of this, and that is why no decisions are to be expected from us within the next few days,” Merz said, adding that Trump respected Germany’s position.
Germany was resuming direct talks with Iranian leadership in Tehran, “after a long silence” Merz said.
“Our aim in doing so is also to make our own contribution to the success of the upcoming negotiations.”
Merz said he would also be speaking later on Thursday with the prime minister of Pakistan, whose country is set to host ceasefire talks between Iran and the U.S. this weekend.
Merz said he and Trump had not discussed the prospect of the United States pulling troops out of Germany, nor Germany placing any restrictions on the work of U.S. bases that have been stationed there since after World War Two.
Trump had earlier this week threatened to destroy Iran’s “whole civilisation” unless it unblocked the Strait of Hormuz, triggering criticism from some quarters, including from allied countries in Europe.
“I am firmly convinced that it would not have come to that. It was part of his strategy in dealing with Iran, and that has now led to at least a temporary end to the hostilities and also to a temporary end to the mutual rhetoric,” Merz said.
He also said there was no agreement yet within Germany’s coalition government on further energy cost relief measures after a meeting to discuss the issue on Thursday. He said the measures needed to be targeted and must not cause supply shortages.
(Reporting by Andreas Rinke, additional reporting by Ludwig Burger, Writing by Linda Pasquini; editing by Matthias Williams, Kirsti Knolle)
