Merz Says Iran's Regime in Final Days Amid Escalating Protests

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz declared on Tuesday that Iran's ruling regime is in its final days, as nationwide protests escalate into the most significant challenge to the clerical leadership since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru during a visit to India, Merz described the government's reliance on violence as a sign of its impending collapse.

The demonstrations, which began on December 28, were initially triggered by economic hardships, including a sharp devaluation of the Iranian rial and widespread frustration among shopkeepers over mounting financial pressures. What started as localized unrest quickly expanded into broad-based protests against the theocratic system, drawing hundreds of thousands of participants across the country over the weekend. Protesters have voiced demands for political change, highlighting the regime's lack of electoral legitimacy and calling for an end to authoritarian rule.

Iranian security forces have responded with a severe crackdown, resulting in at least 500 deaths and more than 10,000 arrests, according to human rights monitors. The violence has drawn sharp international condemnation, with European leaders...