German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil on Saturday dismissed Berlin’s involvement in the rising military conflict in Iran, labeling the U.S.-Israeli campaign as “not our war” and highlighting legal issues regarding the strikes.
In an interview with RND, Klingbeil stated that despite the Iranian government being a “terror regime,” he has “considerable doubts” about air strikes leading to a permanent solution or adhering to international law.
“I say very clearly: This is not our war. We will not participate in this war,” said Klingbeil, a Social Democrat. He cautioned against a global order driven solely by “the law of the strongest,” advocating for a return to a rules-based system.
Klingbeil’s remarks come as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has retreated from his initial support for the U.S.-Israeli campaign. In a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this week, Merz defended the strikes as a necessary action due to decades of unsuccessful diplomacy concerning Iran’s nuclear program and regional destabilization.
However, in recent days, the chancellor has stated that neither “endless war” nor the collapse of the Iranian state aligns with Germany’s interests.
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