German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has voiced doubts about the effectiveness of the U.S. and Israeli military campaign in Iran, warning that the conflict risks becoming prolonged and increasingly complex.

Speaking at a conference hosted by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) newspaper in Frankfurt, Merz signalled scepticism about whether the U.S. and Israel would lead to success.

“I’m just not convinced that what Israel and the U.S. are doing right now will actually succeed,” he said, adding that he had “serious doubts” about whether a coherent strategy exists or is being implemented effectively.

Merz warned that both countries were becoming “more deeply entangled” in the conflict and suggested that any expectation of rapid improvement in the situation was unlikely. “It could take longer, and things probably won’t improve,” he said.

He also cast doubt on the feasibility of achieving regime change in Iran through military means, if that is the intended objective.

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Despite his criticism, Merz said Germany would, in principle, be prepared to participate in an international stabilisation mission once hostilities have ended.

His remarks highlight growing concern among European leaders about the direction and potential consequences of the conflict, as well as the limits of military intervention in resolving complex geopolitical crises.

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