Germany rules out joining US-Israel military strikes against Iran

2026-03-02 - 10:33

Germany has definitively ruled out any military participation in strikes against Iran, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul confirmed Monday, even as Berlin supports Washington and Tel Aviv's goal of neutralizing Tehran's nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities. Speaking to public broadcaster Deutschlandfunk, Wadephul stated that while Germany is closely coordinating with European partners Britain and France, each nation will decide independently what defensive measures to take. Divergent European Positions Wadephul noted that "the UK has concluded that it will make military bases available to the Americans. We don't have any bases there, we also don't have the corresponding military resources." He emphasized that "the German government definitely has no intention of participating in any way." The statement clarifies Berlin's position amid escalating regional conflict following Saturday's US-Israeli strikes that killed senior Iranian leaders including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. E3 Coordination The three European powers, known as the E3 countries, issued a joint statement Sunday evening expressing readiness to take "necessary and proportionate defensive measures" to destroy Iran's capability to fire missiles and drones at their source. However, Germany's explicit refusal to participate in offensive operations highlights the limits of European military involvement even as diplomatic coordination continues with Washington and regional allies.