Iran warns Germany: German bases will become targets if it enters the war

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei accused Germany of inconsistency in its position on military action against Iran and warned that German military bases in the region could become targets if Berlin openly enters the war.

This was reported by the Iranian agency Fars.

The warning came on Sunday, October 25, against the backdrop of statements by U.S. President Donald Trump that Washington was considering a strike on Iran as early as Sunday, but might also conclude a major deal with Tehran. This was reported by Al Jazeera.

Baghaei’s post about Germany

Late on Saturday evening, Baghaei published a post on X in which he quoted the words of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, spoken in June 2025 regarding Israel’s strikes on Iran: “This is the dirty work that Israel is doing for all of us.” He then wrote that in “October 2026, Germany’s foreign minister (and others) warn of new attacks on Iran and stress the need to prevent further escalation.”

According to Fars, which is close to the Iranian authorities, the reference was to German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and his counterparts from other European and regional states. According to Al Jazeera, Baghaei was referring to a recent meeting in Istanbul.

Baghaei concluded his post with an excerpt from Friedrich Schiller’s play The Maid of Orleans, in which reason is tied to a “wild horse of madness” helplessly dragging it “into the abyss.” Iran’s Foreign Ministry explained that the post criticizes the “contradictory positions” of Germany and other European countries.

Warning about German bases

Fars, citing its security and defense correspondent, reported that Tehran had made clear to Berlin through several channels that if Germany openly joins the war against Iran, all German military bases and facilities in the region will become legitimate targets. Iran also called on Germany to stop prosecuting Iranians living there on the basis of what it described as unfounded charges. None of Iran’s officials made the warning publicly, and Berlin, based on the materials reviewed, has not publicly responded to it.

Strained relations between the two countries

The warning came amid several disputes between Germany and Iran. Germany summoned Iran’s ambassador Majid Nili after a court in Hamburg convicted two people of espionage and preparation of terrorist attacks which, according to German authorities, were linked to the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. In response, Tehran summoned the German ambassador.

This week, German financial regulator BaFin revoked the license of the Hamburg branch of Bank Saderat Iran. In September, it declared insolvent the German branch of Bank Sepah.

The tension directly involving Merz arose earlier. In September, Baghaei stated that the chancellor’s characterization of Iran’s nuclear program and regional allies was “deliberately distorted,” and stressed that the war had been started by the United States and Israel, not Iran.