German Chancellor Accuses Iran of Undermining U.S. as Diplomatic Efforts Stall

Friedrich Merz criticizes stalled negotiations and questions Washington’s strategy as divisions widen between the United States and European allies.

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Monday sharply criticized Iran’s leadership, saying it was undermining the United States during stalled negotiations and raising concerns about the direction of the ongoing conflict.

Speaking to students in Marsberg, Merz said Iranian officials had effectively stalled diplomatic efforts by allowing U.S. representatives to travel abroad for talks without producing results. “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,” he said.

Merz added that the situation reflected poorly on Washington. “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,” he said.

The remarks highlight growing tensions between the United States and its European allies within NATO, where disagreements have already emerged over conflicts in Ukraine and broader foreign policy approaches.

Merz also questioned the U.S. strategy in the Iran conflict, stating he did not see a clear exit plan. He said Germany and other European countries were not consulted before military actions by the United States and Israel began on Feb. 28, and that he later conveyed his concerns directly to Donald Trump.

“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 said, comparing the situation to previous U.S. military engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Efforts to revive negotiations have slowed following the cancellation of a planned trip by U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Islamabad. Meanwhile, Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, traveled to Russia after separate discussions in Pakistan and Oman failed to produce an agreement.

The conflict has also disrupted global energy markets, as the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed. President Trump has criticized NATO allies for not deploying naval forces to assist in reopening the key shipping route.

Merz said there were indications that portions of the strait had been mined and noted that Germany had offered to contribute naval assets. “We have offered, also as Europeans, to send German minesweepers to clear the strait, which has obviously been mined in part,” he said.

He added that the ongoing conflict is imposing economic costs on Germany, stating it is affecting public finances and broader economic stability.