Leading members of Nato have dismissed Donald Trump’s demands to assist in the war against Iran, with Germany insisting that the conflict has “nothing to do” with the military bloc.
Mr Trump had called on allies to help the US police the Strait of Hormuz, which has been blockaded by Iranian forces in response to the intense US-Israeli bombardment that began on 28 February.
“It is not Nato’s war,” said a spokesman for German chancellor Friedrich Merz. “Nato is an alliance to defend the alliance area. The United States did not consult us before this war, and so we believe this is not a matter for Nato or the German government.”
Sir Keir Starmer also went on the record to warn that Britain “will not be drawn into the wider war”.
He refused to commit to sending in warships to help allow oil tankers to pass through the strategic waterway, even after a former Downing street adviser warned that he may need to consider “fuel rationing” if supplies dry up.
Sir Keir said: “Ultimately, we have to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to ensure stability on the market. That is not a simple task. There have been discussions going on in relation to a viable plan.
“We want to make sure that that involves as many partners as possible, that’s been our stated directive here, particularly talking to European partners, inevitably talking to Gulf partners and to the US, because we need a credible, viable plan, if we can.”
Responding to Sir Keir’s reluctance to get involved, President Trump said he was “not happy” and “very surprised”, adding: “They should be involved enthusiastically.”
The ongoing war of words came as a senior Labour source, who is a regular part of the security discussions in relation to Iran and Ukraine, told The Independent that the feedback coming to the government from Republican allies as well as Democrats is one of “deep despair at the erratic behaviour of the president” with a number of allies “questioning his judgement”.
Mr Trump has warned that Nato faced a “very bad future” if member states did not use their navies to support the US in the Strait of Hormuz, as Iranian forces use drones, missiles and mines to prevent fuel tankers from transporting a fifth of global oil supply.
Germany’s defence minister, Boris Pistorius, dismissed the American request.
“What does (…) Donald Trump expect a handful or two handfuls of European frigates to do in the Strait of Hormuz that the powerful US navy cannot do?” he said, downplaying warnings by the president that failing to come to Washington’s aid could have consequences for the Nato alliance.
Meanwhile, Italian foreign minister Antonio Tajani said diplomacy was the right way to solve the crisis in the strait and that there were no naval missions Italy is involved in that could be extended to the area.
“As far as Hormuz is concerned I believe diplomacy needs to prevail,” he told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting in Brussels.
