The German leader has warned that the current US strategy borders on "geopolitical humiliation," pointing out that the Donald Trump Administration lacks a viable exit plan against the Tehran regime. During a speech to students at an educational center in Marsberg, Merz strongly stated that "the Americans do not have a strategy" and that, in the current situation, it is not clear "what kind of strategic exit they can choose."
According to the German Chancellor, the fundamental mistake lies in initiating an offensive without foreseeing the long-term consequences. "I do not see a clear strategy. In a conflict, it is not only about entering, but also about knowing how to exit," declared the Chancellor. In his analysis, Merz referenced the precedents of Afghanistan and Iraq to warn that the United States is falling into the same strategic void, allowing Iran to set the pace of the confrontation.
The Chancellor described a dynamic in which the Iranian regime, especially the Revolutionary Guard, is making American diplomats travel to meetings in places like Islamabad only to let them leave without tangible results. According to Merz, Iranian leaders negotiate with great cunning or, at times, "skillfully do not negotiate," an attitude through which they are "humiliating the entire American nation" in the eyes of the international community. Merz's criticism also has an internal aspect within the transatlantic alliance.
The Chancellor denounced that Germany and other European partners were not informed or consulted before the joint attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran began. Merz revealed that he has personally expressed his reservations to President Donald Trump on two occasions, emphasizing that "this war against Iran has immediate consequences on our economic performance" and that, for the sake of the European industry, the conflict "must end as soon as possible."
This stance marks a shift from his comments last year when he even suggested that the attacks were doing the "dirty work" for the Europeans. Despite the Chancellor's warnings about the economic damage, the European Union maintains a firm stance of pressure on Tehran. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has rejected the proposal to ease restrictions to restore the energy flow.