Germany Demands Iran Reopen Strait of Hormuz in Direct Call

Germany's Foreign Minister held a direct phone call with Iran's counterpart on Sunday, formally demanding that Tehran reopen the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping and warning of serious consequences should the obstruction continue. The call marks Berlin's most direct diplomatic intervention yet in the escalating Gulf crisis.

The German government's public demand signals that European powers are increasingly unwilling to remain passive as the standoff disrupts global energy supply chains. Germany, as a major industrial economy heavily dependent on stable energy markets, faces particular exposure to any prolonged restriction of Gulf oil and gas flows.

The call reflects a broader European effort to de-escalate the crisis through diplomatic engagement while simultaneously signalling resolve. German officials stopped short of specifying the nature of the consequences they threatened, but the language suggests coordination with EU partners on a potential response framework.

Iran has not publicly responded to the German demand, though Tehran has previously dismissed European pressure as subordinate to its primary confrontation with Washington. Analysts suggest that European diplomatic engagement, while unlikely to decisively shift Iranian calculations, contributes to the multilateral pressure architecture that underpins any eventual negotiated outcome.