Yemen Monitor / Berlin / Agencies:
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on Wednesday that he is considering recalling two German Navy vessels deployed in the Red Sea as part of preparations for a possible mine-clearing mission in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Anadolu Agency.
Speaking to reporters in Berlin, Pistorius explained that Iran had categorically rejected a French proposal to cooperate on clearing mines from the strategically important waterway. He added that he sees no realistic prospect of a mine-clearing operation beginning anytime soon.
“Logically, this means we will not keep our two ships stationed in Djibouti until the autumn simply in the hope that something might eventually happen. We will make a decision at the appropriate time this summer,” he said.
He added:
“Ultimately, it is better for our soldiers to spend their summer in Berlin at 40°C than to remain in Djibouti, where temperatures approach 50°C.”
Last month, Germany deployed the minehunter Fulda and the supply ship Mosel from the eastern Mediterranean to the Red Sea as part of preparations for a potential mine-clearing operation in the Strait of Hormuz. The two vessels transited the Suez Canal in mid-June and are currently docked in Djibouti, where they are being resupplied.
