SPD faction leader Mathias Miersch, unlike federal chancellor Friedrich Merz of the CDU, called the attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran an unmistakable violation of international law. Speaking before his party group’s meeting on Tuesday, he said that “all the evidence we have shows that, in the immediate sense, international law has not been respected”. Miersch stressed that this point must be made clear, especially by those states whose very ability to maintain the global order depends on such adherence.
He added that the discussion is not about showing contempt for the Iranian regime, noting the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei as a fact that “should ever again be repeated”. Instead, the focus must be on preparing for a future in Iran that can only be achieved through negotiations at the table. For this, he emphasized the need for Europe to act in a coordinated, unified voice, and that the coming days will be critical for strengthening those diplomatic bridges.