German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Wednesday expressed reservations about potential US military engagement in the escalating Iran-Israel conflict, warning that current retaliatory strikes risk triggering a broader regional war.
Speaking alongside Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi in Berlin, Wadephul cautioned: “The ongoing military exchanges risk reducing the crisis to purely military terms. This carries the grave danger of drawing additional nations into the confrontation.”
When pressed on whether he supported US intervention on Israel’s behalf, the minister signaled opposition, citing US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s recent assurance that Washington would not militarily intervene in Israel’s large-scale strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities.
“Given my esteemed colleague’s consistent position, I take this as the current US stance,” Wadephul noted. However, he acknowledged that any Iranian attack on American assets would “naturally prompt a US military response.”
The remarks come as Germany seeks to de-escalate tensions following Israel’s unprecedented strikes on Iranian soil last week. Observers note Berlin’s delicate balancing act as it maintains close ties with both Washington and regional partners like Jordan.