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New Straits Times
11 hours ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
German chancellor backs Israel strikes, calls Iran a threat
KANANASKIS, Canada: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday expressed strong support for Israel in its military campaign against Iran as he spoke with German media on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada. "This is the dirty work Israel is doing for all of us," Merz said in an interview with the ZDF broadcaster. "We are also victims of this regime. This regime has brought death and destruction to the world," he said. In a separate interview with Welt TV, Merz also suggested Israel's attacks on Iran could lead to the demise of the Islamic republic's leadership. "I assume that the attacks of the last few days have already weakened the regime considerably and that it is unlikely to return to its former strength, making the future of the country uncertain," Merz said. "To be honest, I can hardly imagine the regime returning to its old functions," he added. "Large parts of the military leadership and the so-called Revolutionary Guards are no longer alive, so things will not be the same as they were." Asked whether he thought the United States might get involved in the military campaign against Iran, Merz said he believed there was "no decision yet from the American government." "It now depends very much on how far the regime is prepared to return to the negotiating table," he said. "If not, there could be further developments of this kind." Israel on Friday launched a surprise aerial campaign targeting sites across Iran, saying the attacks aimed to prevent its enemy from acquiring atomic weapons. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also suggested the campaign could have wider aims. Netanyahu on Monday said Israel was "changing the face of the Middle East" with its campaign, which could lead to "radical changes" in the country. Iran has been ruled by clerical leaders since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, and has long been accused by Western countries of human rights abuses and brutally repressing dissent. The leaders of the G7 industrial democracies on Monday called for "de-escalation" in the Middle East starting with the Israel-Iran conflict, stressing that Israel "has a right to defend itself" and that civilians needed to be protected on both sides.--AFP
DW
12 hours ago
- Politics
- DW
Germany's Merz says Israel doing 'dirty work for us' in Iran – DW – 06/17/2025
Skip next section Germany's Merz says Israel 'doing dirty work for all of us' in Iran 06/17/2025 June 17, 2025 Germany's Merz says Israel 'doing dirty work for all of us' in Iran German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has expressed respect for Israel's attack on Iran, calling it a service to Western allies. "This is the dirty work that Israel is doing for all of us," Merz said Tuesday on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada in an interview with German broadcaster ZDF. "We are also victims of this regime. This mullah regime has brought death and destruction to the world," he added. "I can only say: the greatest respect for the fact that the Israeli army and the Israeli leadership had the courage to do this." Merz said Israel's attacks on Iran could lead to the downfall of the Islamic Republic's leadership. "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 said in an interview with Germany's Welt TV at the G7 summit in Canada. Iranian officials have reported 224 deaths, mostly civilians, in attacks that Israel initially said targeted military officials and nuclear scientists. Israel says 24 civilians had been killed in Iranian attacks on its territory. Germany has remained one of Israel's biggest supporters, going so far as to intervene on behalf of Israel in South Africa's accusation of genocide in the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
NBC News
16-04-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Germany warns its towns against letting Russia war memorials for its own propaganda
The German government on Wednesday warned against Russian efforts to 'instrumentalize' events marking the 80th anniversary of World War Two after the Russian ambassador to Berlin attended a local event in the eastern town of Seelow. The commemoration marked the Battle of the Seelow Heights, one of the final battles in the war before the Soviet army's march on Berlin and Germany's capitulation in May 1945. At least 30,000 Soviet soldiers were killed in one of the hardest fought battles for Russia's troops. Russian ambassador Sergey Nechayev laid a flower at the monument to the battle. Military attaches from the embassies of Belarus and Kazakhstan, whose nationals fought in the Soviet army, also laid flowers at the site in Seelow. Earlier this year, Germany's Foreign Office issued guidance to be cautious of Russian attempts to use 80th anniversary events for propaganda purposes. It recommended municipalities to make use of their 'host rights' not to invite Russian state representatives to commemorations. 'We can expect the Russian side to instrumentalize it to justify the attack on Ukrain e,' a spokesperson for the ministry told a regular news conference on Wednesday. 'That's why the Foreign Office made a recommendation of that nature.' Russian President Vladimir Putin initially portrayed his invasion of Ukraine as needed to deal with 'Nazis' seeking to use the legacy of World War Two to justify the attack. 'It's inappropriate for a representative of a criminal regime that is attacking my country with missiles, bombs and drones every day to be present at a commemoration of war victims,' Ukrainian Ambassador Oleksii Makeiev told Welt TV. The Soviet Union lost more than 25 million lives in what it calls the Great Patriotic War and Moscow marks the victory with a massive annual military parade in Red Square. Russia's state RIA news agency cited Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying on Wednesday that German Foreign Ministry guidance suggesting representatives of Russia and Belarus could be expelled from anniversary events as an insult by forces she called 'the ideological heirs and direct descendants of Hitler's executioner s.' The Russian embassy did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. Russian domestic TV was present at the commemoration, which was otherwise attended by a small crowd of locals. Deputy administrator of the Maerkisch-Oderland district, Friedrich Hanke, told broadcaster RBB in advance that it would be 'absurd' to stop the ambassador from commemorating his compatriots. 'We will treat him with the appropriate respect,' he said.
