Germany's Merz: 'Clearly no joint plan' for bringing Iran war to swift end

Friedrich Merz warns that the escalating conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran risks becoming a prolonged war, urging a clear international plan to end the fighting.

Reuters

March 10, 2026

Germany's Merz: 'Clearly no joint plan' for bringing Iran war to swift end

German Chancellor and Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party leader Friedrich Merz attends a press conference with CDU top candidate for the Baden-Wuerttemberg state election, Manuel Hagel (not pictured), after the Baden-Wuerttemberg state election, in Berlin, Germany, March 9, 2026.

Annegret Hilse/Reuters

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Tuesday that a "dangerous escalation" was occurring in the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and there was "clearly no joint plan" for bringing it to a swift end.

"We are particularly concerned that there is clearly no joint plan for bringing this war to a swift and convincing end," Merz said at a press conference in Berlin.

"We have no interest in a war without end. We have no interest in the dissolution of territorial integrity," he added.

-Reporting by James Mackenzie and Friederike Heine;Editing by Miranda Murray/Reuters