German Chancellor Merz harshly criticized the Trump administration's policy toward Iran on Monday, stating that Washington has misjudged the strength of the Tehran regime, lacks a genuinely convincing strategy in negotiations, and is being "humiliated" by the Iranian leadership. During a visit to schools in his home region in western Germany, Merz said Iran is clearly stronger than previously anticipated, while the United States entered this conflict without any clear strategy, warning that the conflict could descend into a quagmire similar to those in Afghanistan and Iraq. This marks one of Merz's most pointed public criticisms yet of the U.S.-Israel war against Iran. Initially, he had relatively supported U.S. objectives, acknowledging that Germany also endorses efforts to bring down the Iranian regime, though he remained skeptical about the Trump administration's methods. As the war continues, with commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz largely disrupted and oil prices holding above $100 per barrel, Germany—already under economic strain—is facing higher energy and inflation costs, prompting Merz’s criticism of the war’s costs to intensify significantly. He reiterated that the conflict is imposing a “huge financial cost” on Germany. Berlin has rejected U.S. demands for NATO to join the conflict, emphasizing “this is not a NATO war,” though it has left open the possibility of limited participation in post-conflict security operations in the Hormuz Strait, including deploying German mine-clearance vessels.
Image source: internet
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1863690081026251/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.