Merz’s ‘political naivety’ has cost Germany its role in Iran talks: Araghchi
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the "political naivety" of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has cost Germany its role in the Iran talks.
In a post on his X account on Thursday, Araghchi responded to Merz, who in an earlier post on X had expressed his country’s readiness to “further increase the pressure and to engage in talks” aimed at bringing Iran's nuclear program to a swift end.
Germany was once the engine of Europe’s progress; now it has turned into an engine of regression.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) February 5, 2026
Last September in New York, at Merz’s insistence, the E3 put an end to their role in nuclear negotiations by pursuing the return of UN sanctions on Iran. Now, Merz is begging to be… https://t.co/Stpjb9agnv
Araghchi said Iranians have unfortunately witnessed several other examples of the German chancellor’s “political naivety and distasteful character.”
He added that in New York last September, the European troika—France, Germany, and Britain—at Merz's insistence, withdrew from the nuclear negotiations by seeking the restoration of UN sanctions against Iran.
“Now, Merz is begging to be allowed back into the same negotiations,” Araghchi wrote.
The foreign minister also pointed out that Merz expressed "exuberance" following Israel's killing of over 1,000 Iranians in June 2025, and he publicly speculated that the Islamic Republic was on the brink of collapse, claiming it could be mere weeks away.
Araghchi noted that the German people have made significant contributions to humanity through their hard work and ingenuity, adding that Iran has consistently welcomed a robust relationship with Germany.
“It is therefore doubly regrettable that an individual such as Mr. Merz now represents Germany on the world stage,” he wrote.
The top Iranian diplomat expressed hope that a more mature and honorable political leadership would return to Germany.
In his X post, the German chancellor had claimed that developments in Iran stand in the way of Germany’s cooperation with the Persian Gulf littoral states to promote peace in the region.
“We are prepared to further increase the pressure and to engage in talks aimed at bringing Iran's nuclear programme to a swift end,” Merz said.
Iran and the United States are scheduled to hold a fresh round of nuclear negotiations in the Omani capital Muscat on Friday.
According to Iranian media reports, the negotiations would focus exclusively on Iran’s peaceful nuclear energy program and the lifting of sanctions, with no discussion of other issues.
Araghchi is expected to lead the Iranian delegation, which will include his deputies Majid Takht-Ravanchi and Kazem Gharibabadi. The United States will be represented by White House special envoy Steve Witkoff, according to the reports.
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