25.03.2026 19:51
After President Frank Walter Steinmeier's statement that "the US-Israel's attacks on Iran are a catastrophic mistake," another anti-war voice has emerged from Germany. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul stated that the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East continue to be a major source of concern. Wadephul expressed their support for the Lebanese government under Israeli attack.
Following President Frank Walter Steinmeier's statement that "the US-Israel attacks on Iran are a catastrophic mistake," another striking statement came from Germany.
"THE CONTINUING CONFLICTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST ARE A GREAT CAUSE FOR CONCERN" German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul spoke at a joint press conference held in Berlin with Tunisian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration, and Tunisians Abroad, Mohamed Ali Nafti. Wadephul stated that they discussed the situation in the Middle East, saying, "The ongoing conflicts are a great cause for concern." He emphasized that the effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz threatens not only global energy supply but also the transportation of fertilizers and thus global food security.
Wadephul noted that it was pleasing that US President Donald Trump had postponed his ultimatum to Iran and targeted negotiations, stating, "It would be appropriate for Iran to respond to this now. Therefore, if there is a window of opportunity for diplomacy, we must definitely give negotiations a chance." The German minister reiterated that his country is ready to contribute in this regard.
Johann Wadephul "THE LEBANESE GOVERNMENT DESERVES OUR FULL SUPPORT" Wadephul expressed that Germany stands by the Lebanese government, stating, "This government has made brave decisions recently, clearly committing to disarm Hezbollah and no longer recognizing Hezbollah as an armed force in Lebanon. This government deserves our full support in establishing state authority throughout Lebanon and, of course, in preserving Lebanon's territorial integrity."
WHAT DID STEINMEIER SAY? In a statement made yesterday, German President Frank Walter Steinmeier criticized the US and Israel's attacks on Iran and the German government's stance, saying, "Not calling international law violations as violations does not make our foreign policy more credible. This war is illegal under international law, and there is no doubt about that."
Steinmeier continued his remarks as follows: "The worldview of the current American government is different from ours. This view does not care about established rules, partnerships, and trust that develops over time. We cannot change this. We have to deal with it, but this is my belief. We have no reason to adopt this worldview. Great powers can survive in a world without rules and may even benefit from it in the short term. However, this does not apply to us and does not apply to the overwhelming majority of states."
Our foreign policy does not become more convincing by not naming the violation of law as a principle of rights. We already had to deal with this in the Gaza War. We must also deal with this in the Iran War because this war is against international law. This war is also a politically catastrophic mistake. If the purpose of the war is to stop Iran from developing a nuclear bomb, this war is indeed an unnecessary and preventable war.
Frank Walter Steinmeier ISRAEL'S ATTACKS ON LEBANON In a statement made by the Israeli army on March 2, it was reported that sirens were activated in the north of the country after detecting missile launches from Lebanon. The Israeli army, which later announced that it had launched airstrikes across Lebanon targeting the capital Beirut, decided to expand its ground invasion in Lebanon, conducting intense attacks from the air and sea.
The Lebanese Ministry of Health announced that since March 2, 1,039 people have lost their lives in Israeli attacks, and 2,876 people have been injured. The Beirut administration stated that the number of forcibly displaced persons in Lebanon due to Israel's invasion and attacks is officially recorded as 1,162,237.