Iran · updated 1h ago · 2 min read
Iran’s Baghaei Slams German Chancellor Friedrich Merz Over Distorted Iran War Narrative
Baghaei calls Merz's remarks about Iran knowingly distorted and false. Iran states the war was launched by the US and Israel, not Tehran.
Whether the story is Merz remarks or US war oversight.
9 of 10 outlets skipped it: US House floor debate frames the war as unconstitutional and costly.
The Times of Israel was read line by line by the Watchdog: 7.0. See the score →
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PressTV
“Iran has censured German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for his “knowingly distorted” rhetoric regarding the US-Israeli war of aggression,”Read the original ↗
Most outlets run Iran's rebuttal to Merz, while The Hill, House.gov, and Task & Purpose pivot to US war powers and Pentagon details.
Merz rebuked by Tehran
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei criticized German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for remarks that referenced Iran’s “war,” its “military nuclear program,” and its “proxies,” calling the narrative “knowingly distorted.”
“It was the US and the Israeli regime—not Iran—that launched a war of aggression”
Baghaei said, “It was the US and the Israeli regime—not Iran—that launched a war of aggression, and Germany failed to show even the minimum moral courage required to deplore that,” and he rejected Berlin’s “proxies” framing as a label for “independent actors with their own clear causes and calculations.”
Baghaei also denied that Tehran possesses any “military” nuclear program, describing the allegation as an “Israeli-fabricated 'big lie'” repeated by “Israeli apologists,” and he argued that “Our region should not have to pay the price for Germany’s guilt complex or its habit of appeasement vis-a-vis bullies.”
The criticism followed Merz’s backing of the “US-Israeli war of aggression against the Islamic Republic,” as PressTV described it, and it was echoed in a separate report that said Baghaei accused Berlin of adopting a distorted narrative toward Tehran.P
No talks after Trump
Iran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei rejected any talks with the United States after President Donald Trump said he was open to resuming discussions on the Middle East war.
Rezaei posted on X, “Don’t get distracted by the US president’s mixed signals — from ‘no negotiations’ to ‘we’re ready to talk,'” and he added, “No talks until Iran’s conditions are met. Period!”
Trump, speaking on Truth Social, said, “The failing Nation of Iran wants to make a deal, quickly and badly,” and he wrote that he would determine whether the USA would choose to engage.
The Times of Israel also reported that Iran has repeatedly listed demands including war reparations and the lifting of sanctions as preconditions for ending the war and its blockade on the Strait of Hormuz.
War powers, casualties, costs
In Washington, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries gave remarks as the House passed its third Iran war powers resolution Tuesday evening, seeking to bring an end to the more than six-month war with Iran.
“The full [Operation Epic Fury] mission statement is classified.”
The Hill reported that Jeffries spoke as Democrats hoped to retake control of Congress after November’s midterms, with the House resolution framed against a war that had lasted “more than six-month” and amid concerns over “rapidly evolving AI,” Trump’s immigration and foreign policy agendas, and affordability.
House.gov quoted Rep. HMoulton’s Iran War Powers Resolution floor debate, saying, “This Congress has not authorized a war with Iran,” while also citing “19 fallen service members” and “more than 750 service members wounded.”
Task & Purpose reported that the Pentagon’s Office of the Inspector General wrote, “The full [Operation Epic Fury] mission statement is classified,” and it said the report covered costs related to the Iran war between April 1 and June 30, while noting that since the war began “18 service members have died” and “more than 750 were wounded.”