TEHRAN – Controversy is still swirling around a rapidly growing online petition calling for Germany to be held liable in German federal courts after saying Israel played “dirty work” in the West for raiding Iranian nuclear, military and civil infrastructure.
Meltz made comments during the June war, answering questions from German public television journalists at the G7 Summit in Canada. He praised Israel for being brave enough to attack Iran, calling it the “dirty work” done in the West.
Online petitions signed by more than 1,200 German Iranians so far say the prime minister’s declaration is “consent to an offensive war that violates international law.” “His statement is part of the lawless, dim-rog language that is spreading within extremist circles, and is a circle that is currently threatening democracy in many countries,” the petition reads.
The Iranian diaspora is not just anger at Mertz’s words. German media quickly criticized him after his controversial remarks. Some German analysts have called it “shameful” for the Prime Minister to support the illegal war launched by a regime that is responsible for the deaths of more than 60,000 Palestinians in the last 20 months.
A few days after supporting Israel’s attacks on Iran, Mertz defended his initial comments, claiming they had gained widespread support. “These remarks have found overwhelming approval, so I am happy about them,” he told reporters after a meeting with the Berlin state prime minister. “It’s shared by many others and there’s no need to comment on some of the important voices that have emerged.” The basis for his claim of “overwhelming recognition” remains unknown.
Israel launched a war with Iran on June 13, launching airstrikes targeting both nuclear presence and residential areas within Tehran. Over the next 12 days, at least 1,060 Iranians died, with the majority of the victims being civilians. One of the most devastating attacks struck a prison in northern Tehran, resulting in the death of 79 individuals, including bystanders. Another tragic incident that had a profound impact on the Iranian masses happened in Tehran’s Tajlish Square. There, the moment the missile deliberately hit the vehicle at a red light, footage was taken and flew into the air.
The administration said the war was intended to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. However, analysts believe the main goal is to overthrow the Iranian government. On the first day of the conflict, Israel assassinated Iran’s leading military leaders, launching a failed attack targeting a trilateral meeting between the Iranian president, the Speaker of the Parliament and the attorney general, and attempting to find and assassinate Iran’s leader, according to the hospitalization of the Israeli war minister himself.
The Israeli attack is against the UN Charter, which prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, said Dr. Hesamuddin Boroumand, a law expert and scholar. “Israel, which owns nuclear weapons, attacked a country that does not have nuclear weapons and is part of the NPT. This is against international law and can all lawyers or academics agree,” he explained. “The German government essentially supports terrorist forces, while claiming that Berlin is a human rights advocate.”
Scholars also argued that if a German court holds a hearing on the issue, it should be found guilty of violating both international and German laws. The Fundamental Law of the Federal Republic of Germany explicitly states the country’s commitment to “promoting world peace as an equal partner for unified Europe.”