German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil has firmly dismissed the notion of Berlin’s involvement in the escalating military situation in Iran, characterizing the U.S.-Israeli campaign as “not our war.” In a recent interview with RND, Klingbeil expressed significant legal concerns regarding the airstrikes, emphasizing that such actions may not align with international law.
Legal and ethical concerns about military involvement
Klingbeil, who represents the Social Democrats, acknowledged the Iranian government as a “terror regime” but voiced “considerable doubts” that military strikes could yield a sustainable resolution. He noted the importance of adhering to a rules-based international order rather than succumbing to a reality where “only the law of the strongest applies.” He stated, “I say very clearly: This is not our war. We will not participate in this war.”
Shifting stances within German leadership
The Vice Chancellor’s remarks come at a time when German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has begun to reevaluate his earlier endorsement of the U.S.-Israeli military actions. In a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this week, Merz had justified the strikes as a necessary reaction to decades of ineffective diplomacy regarding Iran’s nuclear ambitions and regional unrest. However, he has recently indicated that Germany’s interests are not aligned with either “endless war” or the potential for the Iranian state’s collapse.