GERMAN leader Friedrich Merz has backed Israel’s attacks on Iran – claiming the country is doing “the dirty work” for other nations.
Chancellor Merz praised Israel’s offensive against Iran at a meeting of the G7 in Canada, which Donald Trump left abruptly on Tuesday after warning the 10 million inhabitants of its capital Tehran to evacuate "immediately".
In an interview with German broadcaster ZDF, Merz said: “This is the dirty work that Israel is doing for all of us.
“We are also victims of this regime. This mullah regime has brought death and destruction to the world.
“I can only say: the greatest respect for the fact that the Israeli army and the Israeli leadership had the courage to do this."
The German leader predicted that the attacks on Iran, which have killed more than 200 people since Israel launched its onslaught on Friday, could result in the country’s government collapsing.
He said: “I assume that the attacks of the last few days have already weakened the mullah regime considerably and that it is unlikely to return to its former strength, making the future of the country uncertain.”
It comes after G7 leaders signed a declaration supportive of Israel and damning about Iran.
The statement read: “We, the leaders of the G7, reiterate our commitment to peace and stability in the Middle East. In this context, we affirm that Israel has a right to defend itself. We reiterate our support for the security of Israel.
“We also affirm the importance of the protection of civilians. Iran is the principal source of regional instability and terror. We have been consistently clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.”
Signatories also expressed hope that “the resolution of the Iranian crisis leads to a broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza”.
The statement added: “We will remain vigilant to the implications for international energy markets and stand ready to coordinate, including with like-minded partners, to safeguard market stability.”
Keir Starmer (below) has said that he believed it unlikely that America would intervene in the conflict, which is threatening to spiral into all-out war.
The Prime Minister told reporters in Canada: “There is nothing the President said that suggests he’s about to get involved in this conflict, on the contrary, the G7 statement was about de-escalation.”
Pressed on whether Britain would follow America into a war with Iran, Starmer said: “On nuclear, Iran’s nuclear programme, I’ve been very clear. We are deeply concerned about the programme. I certainly do not want Iran to have a nuclear weapon.”
Asked about Trump’s criticisms of French president Emmauel Macron’s call for a truce between Israel and Iran, Starmer played down divisions, said: “I think what [Trump] said was he wanted to go beyond a ceasefire effectively and end the conflict.
“And I think he’s right about that. I mean, a ceasefire is always a means to an end.”
