German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has expressed support for Israel’s strikes on Iran, suggesting that they could spell the end of an Iranian regime that “has brought death and destruction to the world.”
Speaking on the fringes of the G7 summit in Canada, the German leader described the unprecedented attacks, aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear bomb, as “the dirty work that Israel is doing for all of us.”
The Israeli offensive targets a regime that has “brought death and destruction to the world through attacks, murders, and massacres, with Hezbollah, with Hamas,” and even “the delivery of drones to Russia,” Merz said during an interview on ZDF.
He also expressed “the greatest respect for the courage” of the Israeli army in undertaking “this dirty work.”
“Otherwise, we might have continued to endure the terrorism of this regime for months and years, which might eventually have acquired nuclear weapons,” he added.
Western countries suspect Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons, a claim Tehran denies, insisting on its right to a civilian nuclear programme.
With these attacks, Israel has “largely finished” with the Iranian nuclear programme, according to Merz. “In any case, it cannot continue as before.”
Asked about the possible involvement of the United States in this conflict, the German leader said there “could be a development of this kind,” although “it seems there is not yet a decision from the American government.”
“It now also depends heavily on the [Iranian] regime’s willingness to return to the negotiating table,” he added.
