The Auswärtiges Amt issued a renewed warning Thursday for German citizens to leave Iran immediately, citing fears of imminent US military action against the Islamic Republic.
The warning from Berlin underscores Germany's difficult position as tensions between Washington and Tehran escalate: caught between NATO solidarity and its historical role as a diplomatic intermediary with Iran.
According to Deutschlandfunk, the Foreign Ministry's renewed advisory reflects growing concern in the German government about the unpredictability of American policy under the Trump administration. The timing of the warning—coming amid reports of increased US military posturing in the region—suggests Berlin has received intelligence indicating a potential escalation.
For Germany, the situation presents a familiar diplomatic dilemma. As a NATO member, Berlin maintains close security ties with Washington. Yet Germany has long played a distinct role in Middle Eastern diplomacy, maintaining channels to Tehran even as relations between Iran and Washington deteriorated following the Trump administration's withdrawal from the nuclear accord.
The warning to German nationals comes at a sensitive moment for European policy toward Iran. Germany, along with France and the United Kingdom, has sought to preserve elements of the 2015 nuclear agreement, even as American sanctions have made that position increasingly untenable. A military confrontation would effectively end any remaining European diplomatic leverage in Tehran.
In Germany, as elsewhere in Europe, consensus takes time—but once built, it lasts. The current situation, however, offers little time for the careful diplomatic coordination that typically characterizes German foreign policy. The Auswärtiges Amt's decision to issue the warning suggests Berlin has concluded that the risk of military action is sufficiently credible to warrant immediate protective measures for German citizens.
The economic implications for Germany would be significant. German industrial firms, though constrained by sanctions, have maintained commercial relationships in Iran. Any conflict would effectively close that market for the foreseeable future, adding to the challenges facing German industry amid global economic uncertainty.
The Foreign Ministry has not disclosed how many German citizens remain in Iran, nor has it indicated whether consular staff levels in Tehran will be reduced. Such decisions would signal Berlin's assessment of the immediacy of the threat—and the extent to which Germany believes it can influence American decision-making on Iran.
