German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) weighed in on the Middle‑East crisis. He said on Friday that Germany supports the aims of the United States and Israel to curb Iran’s nuclear and missile programme, as well as Tehran’s threats to Israel and its backing of terrorism. Merz added that the Iranian people have the right to decide their own fate freely.
He warned that the increasingly long‑lasting and widening fighting escalates risks to Israel’s security and that of its regional partners, especially in the Gulf, and that Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are also at stake. An “endless war” is not in Germany’s interests.
To halt the hostilities, Germany is working with its partners on a “shared perspective” that should establish a regional peace order guaranteeing the safety and existence of all states, including Israel and the Gulf countries. Merz also insisted that Iran’s military nuclear programme be transparently terminated and that its territorial integrity be preserved.
