Germany Says Iranian Regime’s Days Numbered As Trump Sends Armada: ‘Could Be A Matter Of Weeks’

Last Updated:January 28, 2026, 22:38 IST

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Iran’s leadership has lost legitimacy after a deadly crackdown on protests, calling the regime’s survival a matter of weeks.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz holds a press conference with Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan (not pictured), at the Chancellery, in Berlin, Germany. (IMAGE: REUTERS)

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Wednesday that the Iranian government’s “days are numbered" as US President Donald Trump renews threats of intervention after a crackdown on protests in the country.

“A regime that can only hold onto power through sheer violence and terror against its own population: its days are numbered," Merz said at a press conference alongside Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan.

“It could be a matter of weeks but this regime has no legitimacy to govern the country," Merz was quoted as saying by news agency AFP.

A reported death toll in the thousands during recent demonstrations “shows that the mullahs’ regime can apparently only cling to power through sheer terror", the chancellor said. Merz also threw his weight behind Italy’s push to have the European Union designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a terrorist organisation.

“I very much regret that there are still one or two countries in the European Union that are not yet prepared" to support such a designation, Merz said.

The remarks came as Trump warned that time was running out for Iran to avert possible US military action, after Tehran rejected negotiations conducted under what it described as threats. Trump has not ruled out a new attack on Iran following its deadly crackdown on protests this month, after the 12-day June war between Iran and Israel, which the United States backed and joined.

A US naval strike group, which Trump described as an “armada", led by the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, has moved into Middle East waters, underscoring Washington’s military posture. In a post on Truth Social, Trump urged Iran to negotiate over its nuclear programme, which the West believes is aimed at developing an atomic bomb.

“Hopefully Iran will quickly ‘Come to the Table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal — NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS — one that is good for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence!" Trump wrote.

Referring to earlier American strikes on Iranian nuclear targets during the June conflict, Trump warned: “The next attack will be far worse! Don’t make that happen again."

Analysts told news agency AFP that potential US options could include strikes on Iranian military facilities or targeted attacks on senior leadership under Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a broader attempt to destabilise the system that has ruled Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Iran responded sharply, warning it would deliver an unprecedented retaliation to any US attack. Iran’s mission to the United Nations said it remained open to dialogue but would defend itself if threatened.

“Iran stands ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and interests — BUT IF PUSHED, IT WILL DEFEND ITSELF AND RESPOND LIKE NEVER BEFORE!" the mission said on X, alongside a screenshot of Trump’s post about the “massive Armada".

The mission also cited US losses in past conflicts, saying Washington had squandered more than $7 trillion and lost over 7,000 lives in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Meanwhile, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said it had verified more than 6,200 deaths, mostly protesters killed by security forces, during demonstrations that began in late December and peaked on January 8–9.

News world Germany Says Iranian Regime’s Days Numbered As Trump Sends Armada: ‘Could Be A Matter Of Weeks’

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