After his meeting with US President Donald Trump, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he still needs a clearer vision on how the situation in Iran will develop after the end of the conflict.
Speaking to German channel ZDF, Merz said that many inquiries were still pending after a “very open” discussion that took place at the White House on Tuesday. He noted that he observed a notable level of hesitation in the United States regarding the “day after” strategy in Iran.
In a different context, the German Chancellor categorically rejected Trump’s threats to halt economic relations with Spain, declaring: “I made it clear to him: You cannot conclude a separate agreement with Germany, or an agreement that includes all of Europe with the exception of Spain. We are all in the same boat.”
Mertz stressed that Spain is an integral part of the European Union, and that any trade talks with the United States must take place collectively, or not at all, stressing that Spain should not be targeted with individual sanctions.
It is noteworthy that Trump had publicly criticized Madrid during the meeting, considering that some European countries, including Spain, had dealt inappropriately during the American military operations against Iran.
He also pointed out that Spain refused to allow the use of its military bases, threatening that the United States might stop trade with the country in response.
It should be noted that Trump received Meretz in a private meeting at the White House on Tuesday, which is the second meeting of its kind since Meretz took office.
