Iranians Proved Stronger than Washington and Brussels Expected: Merz

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz believes that the Iranians have proven to be stronger than what Washington and Brussels anticipated, while the U.S. lacks a clear plan for exiting the conflict. During a meeting with students in his constituency, he stated, “The issue with such conflicts always lies in the fact that you need to not only get involved in them but also find a way to exit. So all of this, as I said, is less than well thought out.”

The Chancellor emphasized that the chosen strategy by Washington is currently unclear, while the Iranian side, including in negotiations, is acting more effectively. “The Iranians are evidently negotiating very skillfully, or rather, they are not negotiating very skillfully at all. The Americans travel to Islamabad only to return without any results,” he said.

Merz also added that European states are willing to support the restoration of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and demining after negotiations conclude, but the precondition for that is a cessation of hostilities. It should be noted that earlier, the U.S. President canceled the visit of his special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan, aimed at meeting Iranian delegates.