27 Avril 2026
AA / Berlin / Ayhan Simsek
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz reiterated his criticism of the United States and Israel on Monday regarding the extension of the war with Iran, while stating that Europeans will intensify their diplomatic efforts to find a resolution.
“Regarding Iran, yes, I have been disappointed,” said Friedrich Merz at a press conference in Berlin, when asked about his previous statements that the United States lacked an “exit strategy” and had been “humiliated” by Tehran.
“The United States and Israel assumed, from the start, that this problem would be resolved in a few days. However, we must now recognize that this is not the case,” continued the Chancellor. “That is why we, from the European side, wish to contribute diplomatically to finding a solution.”
The conservative leader also emphasized that Germany had resumed direct discussions with Iran and was consulting with regional partners to support diplomatic initiatives to end the conflict.
“We are closely coordinating our actions with the United States, but we also want to emphasize that we have our own European ideas on how to achieve a resolution to the conflict,” said Friedrich Merz. “I hope we will succeed, but I am not certain,” he concluded.
* Translated from English by Adama Bamba
