Germany Says US Blockade Hits Iranian Ports, Spares Hormuz
Berlin's interpretation hinges on the precise language used by US Central Command, government spokesman Stefan Kornelius told reporters in Berlin.
"The Strait of Hormuz, or the so-called blockade, as you call it, does not mark the end of this diplomatic process; we interpret it as a move to increase the pressure," Kornelius said.
He stressed that CENTCOM's own statement "does not speak of a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, but rather of a blockade of Iranian ports" — a distinction Berlin considers legally and strategically significant.
Kornelius further suggested the waterway itself has taken on a broader negotiating dimension, describing the strait as "a kind of bargaining chip" for both sides. He said the German government is "making every effort to use this newly mounting pressure through diplomatic channels to achieve de-escalation."
The remarks follow US President Donald Trump's announcement of a blockade on Iranian ports set to take effect at 1400 GMT Monday — itself a response to the collapse of rare direct Washington-Tehran talks held over the weekend in Islamabad, which had aimed at ending a war that erupted on Feb. 28 without producing an agreement.
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