German Chancellor Friedrich Merz delivered a sharp rebuke of US strategy in the Iran conflict, stating the US is being “humiliated” by Tehran and that the war has forced Germany to slash its economic growth forecast for 2026 in half to 0.5 percent.
"The Iranians are obviously very skilled at negotiating, or rather, very skillful at not negotiating, letting the Americans travel to Islamabad and then leave again without any result," Merz said during a talk with students in Marsberg, Germany. "An entire nation is being humiliated by the Iranian leadership."
The criticism comes as the economic fallout of the conflict hits Germany, with the economy ministry cutting its growth forecast due to high energy costs and supply disruptions. The war has kept the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for oil shipments, virtually shut. Merz warned the conflict is costing Germany "a lot of money, a lot of taxpayers' money and a lot of economic strength."
The public criticism from a key European ally highlights the growing divisions between Washington and its NATO partners over the Iran war. Merz, who initially supported the US-led intervention, has become increasingly critical as the economic and political costs mount, drawing parallels to the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The chancellor reiterated that Germany would not be drawn into the conflict, rejecting US calls for NATO involvement. However, he said Germany has offered to send minesweepers to help clear the partially mined Strait of Hormuz once a ceasefire is reached.
Hopes for a diplomatic resolution faded after US President Donald Trump cancelled a trip by his envoys to Pakistan, which was intended to jump-start peace talks. The conflict has also had political repercussions within Germany, with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party seeing its support rise to 27 percent in recent polls.
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