Hussain Hazbavi 
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Tuesday that Iran’s ruling clerical leadership is on the brink of collapse, arguing that a government which relies solely on violence to stay in power has effectively exhausted its legitimacy.
Speaking to journalists during an official visit to India, Merz said the Tehran leadership appears incapable of surviving without repression. “If a regime can only remain in power through violence, then it is essentially finished,” he said, adding that he believes the world may be witnessing “the final days and weeks” of Iran’s current political system.
The chancellor also voiced hope for a peaceful end to the crisis, stressing that Iran’s leaders must recognize the need to bring the conflict to a close through nonviolent means.
Merz’s comments come as Iran faces more than two weeks of nationwide anti-government protests, triggered by the country’s worsening economic situation. According to the Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights, forces loyal to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have killed more than 600 protesters and detained over 10,000 others in a sweeping and violent crackdown.
