Trump lashes out at German Chancellor over remarks downplaying U.S. on Iran issue
U.S. President Trump strongly criticized German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social, accusing Merz of being "completely out of touch" regarding the Iran issue.
According to AFP, German Chancellor Merz stated on Monday that "Americans clearly have no strategy whatsoever in Iran," and asserted that Tehran is "humiliating" the world's leading superpower.
Donald Trump reacted angrily, saying: "This (German) chancellor thinks it’s acceptable for Iran to possess nuclear weapons. He has absolutely no idea what he’s talking about."
Chancellor Merz made these comments during a visit to a school in western Germany. He said, "Americans clearly have no strategy. The problem with such conflicts is not just getting involved, but also knowing how to get out."
He added: "Over the past 20 years, we’ve witnessed this painful scenario in Afghanistan, and we saw the same thing in Iraq. Therefore, as I said, this entire matter can at best be described as utterly thoughtless."
Merz further emphasized that he could not see "what kind of strategic exit Americans will choose," especially since Iranians have clearly demonstrated great skill in negotiations—or, more precisely, in skillfully refusing to negotiate.
Merz claimed that Iran’s leadership, particularly the so-called Revolutionary Guard, has humiliated the United States "as a whole nation."
Merkel downplays rift with Trump
German Chancellor Merz emphasized on Wednesday that despite previously angering U.S. President Donald Trump by asserting that Iran had "humiliated" America, their relationship remains "good and unchanged."
At a press conference in Berlin on Wednesday, Merz stated: "As far as I’m concerned, our personal relationship with the U.S. President remains good and unchanged."
He added, "I’ve harbored doubts about that war against Iran from the very beginning, which is why I voiced my concerns," and stressed that Germany and Europe are currently "bearing the enormous consequences" of this conflict, particularly in terms of "energy supply."
During his visit to a school on Monday, Merz had been blunt in stating that Americans "clearly have no strategy" toward Iran and expressed skepticism about whether the U.S. could find a "strategic way out," while praising Iranian negotiators for their "cleverness."
Source: rfi
Original: toutiao.com/article/1863850035199051/
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