In an extraordinary statement, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that the Islamic Republic of Iran, the theocratic authoritarian regime that has ruled the country since 1979, was in its “last days and weeks” and had no legitimacy.
Merz would be the first major world leader to predict such a rapid end to the regime.
The chancellor, who serves as Germany’s head of government (equivalent to a prime minister), made the remarks to reporters while traveling in Bangalore, India, in comments reported and filmed by DW political editor Michaela Kuefner.
Those comments followed remarks Merz made on Monday, when he said that the Islamic Republic’s use of “disproportionate and brutal violence” against protesters was “a sign of weakness.”
On Monday, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said that the Islamic Republic had “lost all legitimacy.”
(On a personal note: given the complexities of how the regime is structured and the number of people invested in its survival, I caution my fellow Iranians not to get their hopes up regarding the timeline the chancellor proposed. Better to be emotionally safe than sorry.)
A translation of Merz’s remarks follows:
“When a regime can only maintain power through violence, it is effectively finished. I assume that we are now witnessing the last days and weeks of this regime. It has no legitimacy anyway, having never gained it through elections among the population. The population is now rising up against this regime. I hope there is a way to bring this conflict to an end peacefully.
The mullah regime must recognize this now as well. And we are in close communication.”
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