Europe

Home page

Europe

Merz says Germany faces dilemma due to actions of US and Israel

01 March 2026 20:48 (UTC +04:00)

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz acknowledged that the US and Israeli strikes on Iran have presented the German government with a dilemma regarding their compliance with international law, APA reports.

"We in the German government have thoroughly discussed the international legal assessment of what is currently happening. We see a dilemma," he said at a press conference in Berlin. Merz claimed that steps taken in accordance with international law in recent decades against Iran have allegedly "had no effect." "This leaves us with a dilemma," the chancellor added. "There is no ideal moment when such an operation should be undertaken, but there is a moment when it is too late," Merz believes.

The Chancellor noted that "the lines of conflict are becoming increasingly unclear." "The rules of international law that have been in force until now are being increasingly less respected," he stated.

He stated that the US and Israeli operation against Iran is not without risks and they are still difficult to predict.

"We currently don't know what future structures and individuals will emerge in Iran," he said at a press conference in Berlin. "However, we don't know the possible actors or groups that would be capable of doing this. Therefore, in my statement, I pointed out that conducting such a military operation is not without risks," the Chancellor stated. He noted that ultimately, peace should be established throughout the region. "At the moment, this is impossible to predict. We hope for it, but we are not certain [that it will happen]," Merz emphasized.

The Chancellor noted that the US and Israeli strikes killed "many prominent Iranian figures," including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. "This marks a transition to an uncertain future," Merz said. He added that it's unknown "what escalation harsh Iranian retaliatory strikes will lead to in the region." Furthermore, he added, it's unclear "whether the plan to achieve political change within Iran through external military strikes will be realized." "The internal dynamics in Iran are difficult to discern," he stated. The actual risks are difficult to determine, but Europe, including Germany, may also have to face their consequences, Merz noted.