German Chancellor Friedrich Merz delivered harsh criticism of Iran’s leadership on Monday, accusing Tehran of deliberately embarrassing the United States during failed diplomatic efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict.
Speaking to students in Marsberg, a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Merz characterized Iran’s negotiation tactics as deliberately obstructive and designed to humiliate American officials.
“The Iranians are obviously very skilled at negotiating, or rather, very skilful at not negotiating, letting the Americans travel to Islamabad and then leave again without any result,” Merz stated during his address.
The German leader went further, saying “An entire nation is being humiliated by the Iranian leadership, especially by these so-called Revolutionary Guards. And so I hope that this ends as quickly as possible.”
Merz’s comments highlight growing tensions between Washington and its European NATO partners, which have been building over various international issues including Ukraine.
The German Chancellor expressed frustration that European allies were not consulted before the United States and Israel began military operations against Iran on February 28. He revealed he had personally shared his concerns with President Donald Trump following the attacks.
“If I had known that it would continue like this for five or six weeks and get progressively worse, I would have told him even more emphatically,” Merz remarked, drawing comparisons to previous American military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan.
President Trump has strongly criticized NATO members for failing to deploy naval forces to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz during the current crisis. The crucial waterway remains largely closed, creating significant market instability and severe disruptions to global energy supplies.
Diplomatic prospects appear increasingly dim after Trump canceled a planned visit by his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi traveled to Russia on Monday following unsuccessful negotiations in both Pakistan and Oman.
Addressing the strategic waterway crisis, Merz confirmed that the Strait of Hormuz appears to have been partially mined. He announced that Germany and other European nations have proposed sending German minesweeping vessels to help clear the passage.
The ongoing conflict is taking a significant economic toll on Germany, with Merz noting it is costing the country “a lot of money, a lot of taxpayers’ money and a lot of economic strength.”
