German Chancellor Says Iran is Embarrassing the US
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated on Monday (27/4) that Iran’s leader is “embarrassing” the United States in the ongoing conflict.
Merz said Washington appears to lack a clear strategy and questioned what approach the US might take to end the war.
“Iran is clearly stronger than expected and America clearly does not have a truly convincing strategy in those negotiations,” Merz said while visiting a school in Marsberg, a town in his home region of Sauerland.
“The problem in conflicts like this is always the same: you don’t just start (the war), but you also have to end it. We have seen this happen very painfully in Afghanistan over 20 years. We saw it in Iraq.”
“Currently, I do not see what strategy for ending the war America will choose, especially because Iran is clearly negotiating very skilfully or very skilfully not negotiating,” he said.
Merz added that “one nation is being embarrassed by the Iranian leader, particularly by the Revolutionary Guard Corps.”
What is the impact of the Iran war on Germany?
Merz said the complicated situation in the Middle East is now having a negative economic impact on Germany.
“The situation is quite complicated at the moment,” said Merz. “And this is costing a lot of money. This conflict, the war against Iran, is directly affecting our economic output.”
The Chancellor said Germany is sticking to its offer to deploy mine-clearing ships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which is a route for much of the world’s oil supply.
However, Merz said, the main condition is that the fighting must first end.
The Chancellor’s visit to Carolus-Magnus-Gymnasium in Marsberg was part of EU Project Day, where schools across Germany hold events focused on the European Union.
Merz emphasised that Germany now has a duty to provide leadership in the European Union and highlighted that the bloc has 100 million more inhabitants than the US. “If we unite more effectively and do more things together, at least we can be as strong as the United States,” he said.