Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany proclaimed Tuesday that Iran's Islamic regime has lost viability, contending administrations requiring brutality to retain control have effectively ceased functioning, Politico reported. Speaking with reporters during his India visit, the chancellor remarked, "If a regime can only stay in power through violence, then it is effectively finished. I assume that we are now witnessing the final days and weeks of this regime." Merz articulated hope for nonviolent resolution: "I hope there is a way to end this conflict peacefully. The mullah regime has to recognize that as well."
The assessment arrives amid Iran's wave of demonstrations against the regime, sparked by economic devastation. Iran Human Rights, an Oslo-headquartered organization, reports that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's government has executed over 600 protesters while imprisoning more than 10,000 citizens in a savage repression campaign, according to Politico.
Last Friday witnessed Merz issued a trilateral statement with Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and France's President Emmanuel Macron denouncing Tehran's violent suppression. The declaration conveyed: "We are deeply concerned about reports of violence by Iranian security forces, and strongly condemn the killing of protestors."
Kaja Kallas, the EU's senior diplomat, declared Monday her readiness to champion stricter punitive measures against Iran.
Merz's conservative faction in Germany has historically championed listing Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps among EU-recognized terrorist organizations. Leading conservative legislators recently escalated their demands on government officials to act on this classification. Hours before Merz spoke, US President Donald Trump had unveiled plans for 25% import tariffs targeting nations that engage in commercial activity with Iran.
