The German government has granted approval for the export of air-defense missiles to Saudi Arabia, marking a departure from the stringent stance maintained in recent years regarding arms sales to the kingdom.
Government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit confirmed the decision on Wednesday, verifying a report from the news magazine Der Spiegel. The approval, granted by Germany's Security Council, led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz and other ministers, encompasses the export of 150 air-to-air missiles designed for the Iris-T air defense system. This decision was made at the conclusion of 2023, as per ABC News.
Germany Reverses Course on Saudi Arms Ban
The preceding administration, led by Chancellor Angela Merkel, had imposed a ban on arms exports to Saudi Arabia following the high-profile killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018. However, exceptions were later made for exports involving collaborative efforts with other nations.
News of the Iris-T export approval follows Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock's statement on Sunday, expressing Germany's openness to delivering additional Eurofighter jets, produced by a multinational consortium involving Berlin, to Saudi Arabia. This marks a reversal of the government's earlier stance during Germany's current parliamentary term, set to conclude in the fall of 2025.
The coalition agreement between the current governing parties, established in late 2021, explicitly stated a commitment against approving weapons exports to countries demonstrably engaged in the conflict in Yemen, known as the "Yemen clause."
On Monday, Hebestreit asserted that Chancellor Scholz aligns with Baerbock's position. The government, he stated, re-evaluated the impact of the Yemen clause on Saudi Arabia in light of evolving developments in the Yemen conflict. He emphasized Saudi Arabia's perceived constructive stance toward Israel after an attack by Hamas on October 7, where the Saudi air force intercepted missiles fired by Yemen's Houthi rebels toward Israel, according to Fox News.
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Germany Grants Approval for Iris-T Missiles
The approval for the Iris-T missiles was granted by Germany's federal security council in December, according to a security source familiar with the matter. These missiles, manufactured by German arms maker Diehl, are intended for use by Saudi Arabia's Eurofighter jets. The new batch, yet to be delivered, aims to replenish depleted Saudi stocks, which have recently been utilized to intercept drones launched from Houthi-controlled Yemen.
In a notable departure from previous policy, both Chancellor Scholz and Foreign Minister Baerbock affirmed this week that the German government would no longer impede British plans to sell additional Eurofighters to Riyadh. The Eurofighter project is a collaborative effort involving Britain, Germany, Italy, and Spain.
Baerbock, in December, strongly condemned attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea originating from Houthi-controlled Yemen. She expressed gratitude to Riyadh for its role in thwarting similar attacks by intercepting drones and missiles.
The arms export ban imposed on Saudi Arabia in the aftermath of Khashoggi's killing in 2018 has now seen a substantial shift in Germany's policy, signaling a recalibration of its approach to arms sales to the Middle Eastern nation, Reuters reported.
