On Tuesday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Washington to discuss the escalation in the Middle East with US President Donald Trump. This is the first meeting between a European government representative and the US President since the USA and Israel launched a large-scale military offensive against Iran last weekend. Reports suggest that significant parts of the Iranian military infrastructure, as well as leading regime figures, including the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, were taken out.
On Tuesday, President Trump announced via his online platform that direct negotiations with the leadership in Tehran were no longer an option at this time. He stated that the Iranian air defense, navy, and leadership had been largely neutralized. Previously, he had indicated a basic willingness to talk, which, however, had been rejected by the Iranian side. Trump now confirmed that it was 'too late' for diplomacy.
Before the talks in the Oval Office, Chancellor Merz emphasized that Germany shares the goal of ending the Iranian nuclear program. He called for developing a strategy together with international partners for stabilizing the region after the end of the current regime. At the same time, he warned of the risks of further escalation, as the Iranian Revolutionary Guards have threatened retaliatory strikes against US facilities and allies, including in Europe.
The political crisis is accompanied by domestic tensions in the USA. The artist Kesha publicly protested the use of her song 'Blow' in a video with war footage published by the White House. Additionally, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called for more transparency from the Trump administration in connection with other political files.
