German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has sharply criticised the United States' handling of peace negotiations with Iran, describing the process as 'humiliating' for Washington. Speaking to students in Marsberg on Monday, Merz accused Iran of skillfully avoiding meaningful dialogue, forcing American envoys to travel to Islamabad without achieving any results. 'An entire nation is being humiliated by the Iranian leadership, especially by these so-called Revolutionary Guards,' he said, in an unusually blunt rebuke that underscores the widening rift between the United States and its European allies over the Iran conflict.
Strained Transatlantic Relations
The lingering Iran crisis continues to test relations between Washington and its NATO partners. The strain was recently highlighted by a leaked Pentagon memo that reportedly considered punitive measures against allies who did not fully support the US mission. Merz, who permitted the US to use Ramstein Air Base for coordinating strikes on Iran, expressed frustration over the lack of a clear exit strategy from the Trump administration. 'If I had known it would continue like this for five or six weeks and get progressively worse, I would have told him even more emphatically,' Merz said, drawing comparisons to the protracted US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Peace Talks Stalled
Peace prospects suffered a setback on Saturday when President Trump cancelled a planned delegation to Islamabad to meet Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Senior Iranian sources indicated that Araghchi had brought a new proposal for phased talks, initially setting aside the nuclear issue. The framework would begin with ending hostilities and providing security guarantees that Washington could not restart the conflict later. Only then would negotiators address the US blockade and the status of the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran seeks to reopen under its control. Trump cited excessive travel and expense for what he deemed an inadequate offer, stating that the Iranians 'offered a lot, but not enough.' Iranian officials had already downplayed the likelihood of a meeting.
Iran's Stance and Russian Support
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, en route to Russia to meet President Vladimir Putin, wrote on Telegram that Iran was considering Trump's request for negotiations. He told reporters that Trump had sought talks because the US had failed to achieve any of its objectives. In St Petersburg, Putin offered Iran his support, asserting that the country would weather a 'difficult period' and that peace would soon prevail. 'For our part, we will do everything that serves your interests and the interests of all the peoples of the region to ensure that peace is achieved as quickly as possible,' Putin said, according to Russian state media. He asked Araghchi to convey a message to Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, that Russia intends to maintain its strategic relationship with Iran.
Strait of Hormuz Disruption
The Strait of Hormuz remains disrupted, with six tankers carrying Iranian oil turned back by the US blockade in recent days. Only seven vessels crossed the strait in the past 24 hours. The ongoing blockades continue to stall peace talks and impact global markets. British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to chair another COBR meeting this week to discuss the situation. Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the prime minister, warned that the UK could face higher costs for energy, food, and flights for at least eight months after the conflict ends. 'There's going to be a long tail from this,' he told the BBC. Jones said the government is preparing to secure carbon dioxide supplies for food producers and breweries, anticipating shortages. 'If there is a problem with jet fuel on holidays and carbon dioxide on beer, the summer might be pretty depressing for people, but we're doing everything we can to make sure that it's not the case,' he added.
