The CDU foreign policy politician Norbert Röttgen has strongly warned the United States against making any concessions to Iran. Speaking to the press, the CDU/CSU parliamentary group deputy chairman stated that he vehemently opposes any agreement with Iran that would leave the US in a strategically weaker position than it was prior to the war.
As a specific example of this concern, Röttgen pointed to the possibility of the Iranian regime gaining control over the Strait of Hormuz. He noted that the US has demonstrated its capability to exert massive economic pressure on the regime by implementing a blockade on Iranian ports. He stressed that the current contest is ultimately a test of endurance, and the US is positioned better to withstand it.
In a broader geopolitical analysis, Röttgen predicted that the ongoing conflict in Iran is more likely to negatively impact Russia than Ukraine. He suggested that inflated global oil prices would be counteracted by reduced oil output from Russia. Furthermore, he observed that the international community is learning that Russia lacks reliability and cannot be counted on to assist its allies when real trouble arises.
Finally, Röttgen commented on the strategic implications for Vladimir Putin. He noted that President Donald Trump’s intense focus on Iran means that the Russian leader is losing valuable attention from the US. According to Röttgen, Putin finds himself in a strategic bind, needing to maintain stable relationships with everyone-the US, Iran, the Gulf states, and Israel alike.