Germany will not participate militarily in a US-led mission in the Strait of Hormuz, Deputy Government Spokesperson Ulrike Demmer confirmed at a federal press conference (BPK) in Berlin on Wednesday.

“The federal government’s position toward the concrete US proposal is reserved and this is why we haven’t proposed to contribute [militarily], as our political approach towards Iran very much differs from the US’s current approach,” said Demmer before adding that Germany was not ruling out participation in a European mission.

The US Embassy in Berlin said on Tuesday that the US had formally asked Germany to join France and the UK in a mission to protect safe shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and to combat Iranian “aggression.”