Merz: 'Not convinced' US-Israel action will succeed; regime change won't work; Germany ready for stabilization

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed public skepticism about the US-Israeli strategy in Iran at a conference hosted by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) on 27 March 2026. 'I'm just not convinced that what's happening right now — what Israel and America are doing — will actually lead to success,' Merz said. He questioned whether regime change is the actual goal: 'Is regime change really the goal? If that's the goal, I don't think you'll achieve it. It's mostly gone wrong' — pointing to the Afghanistan war as a cautionary example. At the same time, Merz said Germany would 'in principle be ready to take part in an international stabilization mission after the end of hostilities.' The Merz statement is notable for several reasons: it is the first major G7 leader to publicly question the war's strategic logic during active operations; it coincides with Rubio's 2-4 week timeline and Iran's counter-proposal; and Germany has just participated in G7 joint statements supporting the conflict. Merz's offer of a post-war stabilization role signals Germany is planning for the day-after scenario.