German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has warned against the Iran war escalating into a major regional conflict.

Such a conflict could place a “burden on Germany and Europe as heavy as we last experienced during the Covid pandemic or at the start of the war in Ukraine,” Merz said on Monday (March 30) during a joint press conference with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Berlin.

The war is already affecting everyone, he said. “It has entered our daily lives. For weeks, petrol prices and energy costs for German households and businesses have been rising.”

Furthermore, police protection must once again be stepped up outside synagogues and Jewish communities.

For the period following the end of the war, Merz proposed the establishment of an international contact group to coordinate aid as effectively as possible.

“Once the necessary conditions are met, Germany will of course be ready to make its contribution to ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz,” the Chancellor stated.

Merz added that Germany and Syria shared the assessment that the Iran crisis could not be resolved by military means alone.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

BERLIN, GERMANY (MARCH 30, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. GERMAN CHANCELLOR FRIEDRICH MERZ AND SYRIAN PRESIDENT AHMED AL-SHARAA ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE

2. AL-SHARAA LISTENING

3. VARIOUS OF MERZ SPEAKING

4. (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR FRIEDRICH MERZ, SAYING:

"This war affects us all. It has entered our everyday lives. For weeks now, petrol and energy costs for German households and businesses have been rising. And finally, we must once again step up police protection outside synagogues and Jewish communities. If this war escalates into a major regional conflict, it could place an even greater burden on Germany and Europe as heavy as we last experienced during the Covid pandemic or at the start of the war in Ukraine.”

5. MEDIA

6. JOURNALIST FILMING WITH MOBILE PHONE

7. (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR FRIEDRICH MERZ, SAYING:

"The best outcome is for this war to come to an end as soon as possible. Once the necessary conditions are met, Germany will of course be ready to make its contribution to ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. We have already put forward extensive proposals on this matter. I would expressly suggest that we do so within the framework of an international contact group, so that we can also facilitate the best possible coordination between the states that are willing to help, such as Germany."

8. PHOTOGRAPHER

9. MERZ SPEAKING

10. (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR FRIEDRICH MERZ, SAYING:

"We have spoken about the war in Iran or against Iran. President al-Sharaa, I believe I am right in saying that you share my – and our – scepticism regarding the strategic objectives of this war. We hope that we can find ways, and perhaps also discuss with the American government and the Israeli government, to bring this war to an end as quickly as possible. It will only become clear in the coming days, perhaps weeks, to what extent this is possible. But we also share the assessment here that this cannot be resolved by military means alone."

11. PHOTOGRAPHERS

12. MERZ AND AL-SHARAA LEAVING