Berlin – A leading German politician is cautioning against prematurely ending military operations in Iran, arguing that doing so could ultimately strengthen the current regime and destabilize the region. Norbert Röttgen, a vice-chairman of the CDU parliamentary group, believes a swift conclusion to the conflict could prove to be the most dangerous outcome.
Röttgen shared his assessment during a podcast discussion with Paul Ronzheimer, addressing some of the most sensitive questions surrounding the ongoing conflict in Iran.
He outlined two key objectives for U.S. President Donald Trump’s policy, stating, “First: If the regime survives, ‘the goal must be to remove the more than 400 kg of highly enriched uranium from the country.’ Otherwise, the mullahs could turn into even more aggressive after the war.” He added, “Second: Iran must not ‘decide over the freedom of the Strait of Hormuz.’” Röttgen warned that if the regime were to survive, even in a weakened state, even as retaining possession of weapons-grade uranium and control over the vital shipping lane, “the result after the war would be worse than the status quo before.”
„Das wäre die schlechteste aller Varianten“
Addressing the widespread desire for a quick end to the war, Röttgen countered, “I would argue: If you’ve started it, the worst thing is to stop now. To stop when the situation is favorable for a dangerous terrorist regime that has become even more dangerous after the experience of the war, and emerges from the war with greater strategic strength than it had before – that would be the worst of all variants. The worst-case outcome would be exactly that.”
Paul Ronzheimer und Norbert Röttgen im Gespräch
Röttgen also highlighted the danger of ending military strikes prematurely, stating, “If this regime remains, it will have experienced war. And then its determination to acquire the atomic weapon, to be protected by the atomic weapon in the future – this determination will then definitively be there. If the regime remains, it will re-initiate its weapons program with the support of Russia and China. It will continue to suppress all opposition. It will continue to be a structural, permanent danger to peace in the region and beyond. Support for the war against Ukraine by Russia in Europe will continue.”
„Ich weiß nur, dass dieses Regime am Ende ist“
Despite skepticism from many experts, Röttgen believes a regime change is possible, stating, “Hannah Arendt once said, in essence: Revolutions are considered impossible before they happen. Then, in retrospect, they seemed inevitable. And that would be the case here if this regime falls.” He assessed, “I only know that this regime is at the end. I know that it is as weakened as it has never been in 47 years. That the people want to get rid of it and that is why the prospects for this regime are worse than ever. What happens, I still don’t know.”
Röttgen also pointed to the military successes achieved by the U.S. And Israel, noting, “What has now actually been achieved and will be achieved is that the military capabilities, the missile inventory, the terrorist facilities, the launch pads, the navy, the air force, the air defense, i.e. The military infrastructure of the regime, is or will be destroyed. (…) It has also been essentially switched off in its personnel leadership.”
