Security policy: Merz stands behind attacks on Iran

Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) has once again clearly stood behind the air strikes on Iran after the United States. “There is no reason for us and for me personally to criticize what Israel started a week ago and no reason to criticize what America did last weekend,” he said at the industry day. “It’s not without risk. But leaving it as it was was not an option either.”

Merz: Iran is “essential part of the axis of evil”

Merz justified his attitude with the acting of Iran in recent years. “Iran is the terrorist regime of the world, an essential part of the axis of evil, an American president would now say.” In doing so, he referred to a statement by former US President George W. Bush after the terrorist attacks on the USA on September 11, 2001. Among the axis of evil, he included countries such as Iraq, Iraq and North Korea, which in his opinion fueled terror and sought weapons of mass destruction. He later ordered the invasion of US troops into Iraq, in which Germany and other NATO allies did not participate.

“Dirty work” quote: “you don’t have to repeat”

Merz confirmed that in his opinion, Israel also attacked Iran in the sense of Germany. “They do something that is also in our interest and is also correct in our interest.” Merz did not want to repeat the statement that Israel does the “dirty work” for others. “I did not have to repeat it that way. You can express that one way or another.”

“Reasonably confident” that there is no further escalation

Merz was cautiously optimistic that the conflict with Iran would not escalate further. He determined that there have so far been relatively little resistance from Iran itself and allies in allies in other countries. However, he admitted that this does not have to stay that way, and pointed out that a blocking of the important sea path of the street of Hormus would have unforeseeable economic consequences. Nevertheless, he was “reasonably confident that there are no major continuations,” said Merz. “But that is probably too early today to finally judge that.”