The US has officially requested Germany, France and the UK join its troops in an anti-Iran program that would escort Western tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, despite Berlin and Paris’ trade interests with Tehran. With only London on board, Washington may augment their original “request” and resort to classic bullying.
US President Donald Trump’s decision to pull out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), has led to a resumption of sanctions and an increase in hostility between the US and Iran. Though the US was the only country to withdraw from the agreement, Washington now wants Paris, London and Berlin to assist in efforts to “combat Iranian aggression” in the Strait of Hormuz, according to the US Embassy in Berlin.