Germany intensified its diplomatic efforts on Sunday as Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul warned of a looming regional catastrophe in the Middle East, calling for immediate de-escalation and humanitarian access amid growing fears of a broader war.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz held a phone call on Sunday morning with the Sultan of Oman, Sheikh Haitham bin Tariq, to address the escalating crisis in the Middle East. According to a spokesperson for the German government, both leaders emphasised the urgent need to prevent further expansion of the conflict and reaffirmed their joint commitment to seeking a peaceful resolution through diplomatic means.
The call comes as tensions in the region continue to rise, prompting international concern over the potential for wider conflict.
In a related development, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, currently on a diplomatic tour in the region, issued a stark warning during an interview with Tagesschau on Saturday evening. He cautioned that the Middle East faces a “serious risk of full-scale escalation” and urged all parties involved to demonstrate the highest level of political responsibility to avoid further violence.
Wadephul stressed that Germany, alongside France and the United Kingdom, is prepared to engage in dialogue with Iran regarding its nuclear programme. “The situation in the region is highly volatile,” he said. “Further escalation would have unimaginable consequences. What this region needs is peace, not the intensification of military conflict.”
He further warned that unchecked conflict could engulf the region and pose direct risks to European stability and security.
Turning to the worsening humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, Wadephul described conditions there as "unacceptable," highlighting the urgent need for aid. “Hunger, death, and suffering must come to an end,” he said, calling on the Israeli government to allow full and immediate access for humanitarian organisations. He underlined that this appeal reflects not only Germany’s stance but that of the broader international community.
Leaders of Iran, Israel, and the United States reiterated their determination to press on with the conflict on Friday (13 March), as the Middle Eas...
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Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 13rd of March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Ayman Ghazali, a 41-year-old U.S. citizen born in Lebanon, crashed his truck into the hallway of a Detroit-area synagogue on Thursday (12 March) while children attended preschool. Security personnel shot him dead during the confrontation, and authorities said no one else was seriously injured.
Iran should continue “blocking the Strait of Hormuz,” while the U.S. should “shut” its Middle East military bases, new Iranian Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said on Thursday in his first speech since being elected. He is still yet to appear in public, and a broadcaster read out his words.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has set recognition of Tehran’s inalienable rights, payment of war compensation, and international guarantees against any future invasion as conditions for ending the U.S.–Israel war with the Islamic Republic.
The U.S. should shut down its military bases in the Middle East, Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said on Thursday (12 March). His words were read out by a broadcaster on state Iranian television.
A towering lava fountain from Kilauea shot about 400 metres into the air late on Tuesday (11 March) on Hawaii Island, prompting temporary closures at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and part of a key highway as volcanic ash and debris fell over nearby areas.
More than 68,000 children in eastern Afghanistan have been displaced after clashes between Afghan and Pakistani forces intensified along the border, according to a new report by Save the Children.
Centuries-old palaces and mosques in Isfahan, Iran’s celebrated cultural capital, lie in ruins after a series of air raids struck the city’s historic centre, leaving officials to warn of a devastating loss to both national and global heritage. AnewZ’s Touraj Shiralilou visited the city.
Georgia has cancelled international tenders for the construction of major road sections that form part of a regional highway linking the country with the borders of Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 13rd of March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Ayman Ghazali, a 41-year-old U.S. citizen born in Lebanon, crashed his truck into the hallway of a Detroit-area synagogue on Thursday (12 March) while children attended preschool. Security personnel shot him dead during the confrontation, and authorities said no one else was seriously injured.
Balendra Shah is set to become Nepal's prime minister after winning a landslide in the country's 2026 elections. The election comes after a GenZ-led protest in which dozens died in September last year, helped to overthrow the government
Although against international humanitarian war, targeting desalination plants and other key locations is increasingly being used as a way of making an opponent weaker in battle. Water-related violent events have increased rapidly since 2022.
Freight transport on the China–Europe Railway Express grew strongly in the first two months of 2026, highlighting the growing importance of rail links between Asia and Europe. The network moved about 352,000 shipping containers between January and February, a 25% increase from a year earlier.
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