German Chancellor Backs Strikes On Iran, Says Israel Doing 'Dirty Work For All Of Us'

Last Updated:June 17, 2025, 21:01 IST

Friedrich Merz also suggested that Israel’s strikes may have seriously weakened Iran’s leadership

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. (Reuters file photo)

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday strongly backed Israel’s military strikes on Iran, calling it “dirty work" being done on behalf of the wider international community.

While speaking on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada, Merz made the remark in an interview with a German broadcaster.

“This is the dirty work Israel is doing for all of us," Merz told ZDF. “We are also victims of this regime. This mullah regime has brought death and destruction to the world."

Merz’s comments come amid rising tensions in the Middle East as Israel and Iran continue to exchange drone and missile attacks. The German leader offered his full support for Israel’s actions, describing them as necessary in the face of continued threats from Tehran.

In the same interview, the German Chancellor also suggested that the Israeli attacks may have significantly weakened Iran’s leadership, potentially leading the way for the collapse of the Islamic Republic’s regime.

“I assume that the attacks of the last few days have already weakened the mullah regime considerably and that it is unlikely to return to its former strength, making the future of the country uncertain," Merz stated.

“This regime is very weakened and may not recover. We’ll have to wait and see," he added.

Merz also noted that European nations remain open to offering diplomatic help if peace talks resume. “If a new situation were to arise, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom would again be prepared to provide diplomatic assistance, as they were until last Thursday," he said.

G7 Leaders Call For De-escalation

On Monday, leaders of the G7 nations, meeting in Canada, issued a statement calling for “de-escalation" in the Middle East, particularly between Israel and Iran.

The joint statement reaffirmed Israel’s right to defend itself and stressed the need to protect civilians, as violence continues to claim lives on both sides.

The G7—which includes the UK, US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan—also made it clear that Iran “must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon."

(With inputs from agencies)

News Desk

The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d...Read More

The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d...

Read More

Location :

Canada

First Published:

News world German Chancellor Backs Strikes On Iran, Says Israel Doing 'Dirty Work For All Of Us'