German leaders responded cautiously after Israel and the United States carried out strikes on Iran, with officials balancing solidarity with allies against concerns about escalation and legality.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) issued a short statement after being briefed in advance, and his office said he spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Meeting with his cabinet’s security ministers, Merz called Iran’s ruling clerical establishment a “terror regime” responsible for decades of repression and for supporting groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah. He said Germany shared with the United States and Israel the objective of ending that terrorism, while warning the strikes carry serious risks: “We do not know whether they will succeed in bringing about political change from within through military action from outside.” He declined to give a definitive legal judgment, saying it was not the moment to lecture partners and allies.
Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU) echoed the caution. In weekend interviews he stressed that Germany was not pursuing regime change and pointed to Iran’s role supplying drones to Russia for its war in Ukraine. “At this point, I am not making a final assessment under international law,” he said.
The careful wording recalls Berlin’s muted reaction to a previous US operation that captured former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and transported him to the United States for trial—an action many legal experts considered problematic internationally, but which the German government did not publicly condemn. Practical considerations were also apparent: Merz is due to begin a long‑planned US visit this week and is scheduled to meet President Trump in Washington.
Voices from the junior coalition partner, the SPD, urged de‑escalation. SPD foreign policy spokesperson Adis Ahmetovic said Germany shares the goal of preventing an Iranian nuclear weapon but argued the confrontation did not justify “a war with unforeseeable consequences for the entire region,” calling instead for renewed diplomacy.
Security concerns at home featured in the debate. Federal Commissioner for Combating Antisemitism Felix Klein warned that Iran might use its networks to target Jewish and Israeli institutions in Germany. Authorities estimate roughly 1,250 Hezbollah activists were active in Germany in 2024, a figure officials say shapes protective measures.
The opposition Greens questioned the strikes’ legal basis. Parliamentary leader Katharina Dröge said the US and Israel had argued they faced an immediate threat from Iran, but that no clear international legal mandate had been presented; she warned the right of self‑defense is subject to strict conditions likely not met. Bundestag Vice‑President Omid Nouripour, who was born in Iran, avoided a legal ruling and emphasized that many people in Iran primarily seek freedom—a sentiment shared across much of German politics.
This article was originally written in German. If you want regular summaries of German politics and society, consider subscribing to the weekly Berlin Briefing newsletter.