Tusk: Poland will not send troops to Iran

Poland has no plans to send troops to Iran, as the conflict is not directly related to the country’s security, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said. Speaking before a cabinet meeting, he stated that Warsaw was ‘not planning any expedition to Iran’ and that the position did not raise doubts even among allies.

He stressed that this also applies to the land, air and naval forces that Poland is continuing to build up, particularly in view of the security situation on the border with Ukraine.

At the same time, Tusk said that security in the Baltic Sea remains a key element of Poland’s strategy. His comments came after US President Donald Trump over the weekend called on allies to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, where attacks by Iranian forces continue and fears of further disruption to shipping are growing.

Other US allies have taken a similar stance. Germany, Spain and Italy are reportedly not planning to send ships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz for the time being. President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that France would never take part in operations to unblock the strait. Instead, European countries are calling for a clearer plan from Washington and insisting on a cautious approach.

(reuters, lud)