The foreign‑policy spokesman for the SPD parliamentary group, Adis Ahmetovic, has called for a judicial review of the role of U.S. bases in Germany in connection with the Iran‑War. Speaking to the news portal “T‑Online” on Thursday, Ahmetovic said, “From the SPD and many international‑law experts’ point of view, the attack on Iran is not in line with international law”. He added that if the German government were to agree with that assessment, it would need to examine whether the use of sites such as Ramstein is legally permissible – and, if necessary, to seek a court ruling.
Experts say the U.S. airbases in Ramstein and Spangdahlem are crucial for U.S. air operations against Iran. The U.S. military’s use of these facilities is governed by the NATO Status of Forces Agreement and several additional agreements. If the Iran‑War were deemed to be an illegal military operation backed by German‑based U.S. installations, German lawyers warn that there could also be legal risks for Germany. The German government has yet to provide an international‑law assessment.
In the same context, Ahmetovic praised the measures taken by European allies. “It is correct that France, Spain and Italy – our central European partners – are currently restricting the use of their infrastructure by the U.S. military” he explained. He emphasized that such questions must always be evaluated both politically and from an international‑law perspective.
Spain already prohibited the U.S. military from using its airspace for the operation at the start of the war, while France, Italy and the United Kingdom have limited the use of their airbases.