German chancellor says Iranian regime near its end

“I assume that we may now be witnessing the final days and weeks of this regime.”

By World Israel News

Germany Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Tuesday that Iran’s escalating use of violence against protesters may signal the Islamic Republic is nearing its end.

“If a regime can only stay in power through the use of violence, then it is effectively finished,” Merz said during a visit to Bengaluru, India. “I assume that we may now be witnessing the final days and weeks of this regime.”

In a separate statement posted on X, Merz said Germany is pressing Tehran to end its crackdown and warned that further action is being prepared at the European level.

“We call on the Iranian leadership to protect its population rather than threaten it,” Merz wrote. “The regime’s violence against its own people is not a sign of strength, but of weakness. It must end immediately. To underscore this message, we are working on further EU sanctions.”

Merz’s remarks come as anti-regime protests have rocked Iran for nearly three weeks, accompanied by an increasingly deadly crackdown by security forces.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed similar sentiments on Sunday, saying Israel stands with what he described as the “brave and courageous citizens of Iran.”

“We all hope that the Persian nation will soon be freed from the yoke of tyranny,” Netanyahu said. “When that day comes, Israel and Iran will return to being faithful partners in building a future of prosperity and peace.”

The escalating violence has also raised the likelihood of direct U.S. military involvement.

Sources in Israeli media reported Tuesday that President Donald Trump has already made a decision to strike Iran and is now waiting to further reinforce American military assets in the region.

That assessment was echoed in a report by The New York Times, which cited multiple U.S. officials as saying the president “leans toward” launching an air campaign against the Iranian regime.

Trump has publicly warned Tehran that continued violence against protesters could trigger American intervention. “If they start killing people like they have in the past, we will get involved,” he said.

According to Reuters, an Iranian official said at least 2,000 people have been killed in the unrest. At the same time, the London based dissident outlet Iran International has reported far higher figures, estimating that at least 12,000 protesters have been killed amid a near-total information blackout.