Chancellor Merz's top aide speaks cautiously ahead of Geneva talks, says it's crucial to keep 'window for diplomacy' open
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's top aide has called for a diplomatic solution between Israel and Iran, saying "we must seize every opportunity" to resolve the escalating conflict peacefully.
Thorsten Frei, the German leader's chief of staff, told public broadcaster ARD on Friday that while the prospects for an agreement are “not particularly good” right now, the planned talks with Iran today represent a crucial opportunity.
"It is incredibly important that we take up and develop every opportunity for dialogue. And that is exactly what our Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is trying to do in Geneva," he said, referring to the scheduled talks between European foreign ministers and their Iranian counterpart on Friday.
“I believe it is right, even in this currently very difficult situation, to ensure that a window for diplomacy remains open and that the conflict can be resolved through other means,” he said, while maintaining a cautious tone about the possibility of an agreement.
“I don't want to say that the prospects are particularly good. I just think that every opportunity, even the smallest ones, must be used to explore opportunities to reach a peaceful, negotiated solution. I don't know whether that can succeed,” Frei said. “This is extremely difficult, and the experiences of recent years have not really been encouraging in this regard. That has to be said. Nevertheless, we must seize every opportunity.”
