German chancellor says there's 'no reason to criticise' US strikes in Iran
"There is no reason to criticise what America did at the weekend. Yes, it is not without risk. But leaving things as they were was not an option either," Merz said in a speech to the Federation of German Industries.
On Sunday Merz called for a swift return to diplomacy after the US struck three nuclear sites in Iran overnight, his spokesman said.
Iran must "immediately enter into negotiations with the US and Israel and to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict", Merz said, according to his spokesman Stefan Kornelius.
The German government believes "large parts of Iran's nuclear programme have been damaged by the airstrikes", Kornelius said.
The US strikes came after Israel launched large-scale attacks on Iran on June 13 targeting its missile and nuclear facilities, as well as military leaders and security services.
Iran's uranium enrichment has for decades caused tension with the West and Israel, which fear the drive is aimed at making an atomic bomb, a charge denied by Tehran.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Sunday said "no one thinks it's a good thing to keep fighting" and Berlin will "keep doing everything we can to make sure we get serious negotiations going".
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"Everyone knows there has to be a negotiated solution. I think everyone's ready for that," he told the ARD broadcaster.
While France has expressed "concern" over the US strikes, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said Washington had "taken on a responsibility in the region" in response to a "concrete threat".
"What is important here is that a major threat has been eliminated, and I can only repeat that this is good news for the Middle East, but also for Europe," he told ARD.
Chancellor Merz last week expressed strong support for Israel's campaign against Iran, describing it as "the dirty work Israel is doing for all of us".
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