After the recent escalation in the Middle East, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) coordinated with allies and partners. On Saturday he held phone conversations with French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanjahu, and other regional partners to discuss the situation.
Merz criticised Tehran’s brutal suppression of the peaceful protests by courageous Iranians demanding freedom and a better life. He said the Iranian leadership failed to protect its own people and dismissed all calls for an end to the violence. At the same time, he warned that the regime’s continued development of a military nuclear and missile program poses dangers far beyond the region, actively destabilises the area, and supports international terrorism.
He noted that the United States had been seeking a negotiated solution to the Iran issue for weeks. In talks held in Oman and Switzerland, however, Iran declined to agree to a comprehensive, reliable, and verifiable cessation of its nuclear program. It also showed no willingness to curb its ballistic missile programme or halt destabilising activities in the region and beyond.
The Chancellor clarified that Germany is not involved in the U.S. and Israeli airstrikes. He urged Iran to immediately stop military strikes against Israel and other regional partners, condemning those attacks sharply. Iran must also cease other destabilising actions and halt violence against its own population. Germany calls for a revival of diplomatic talks as a step toward reducing risks to regional stability.