Iran links proposed Western sanctions to Israel, draws russian criticism of Merz

Iranian officials have accused the United States and Europe of seeking to impose new sanctions on Iran under the pretext of cooperation with Israel, which Tehran describes as a “notorious agent,” Iranian diplomat Kazem Jalali said, Azernews reports.

“In exchange for further services from this notorious agent, the United States and Europe are seeking to impose new sanctions against the Iranian people,” Jalali stated, criticizing what he described as collective punishment and political pressure targeting ordinary Iranians.

Jalali recalled remarks made by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during Israel’s military operation against Iran in June 2025, when Merz said that Israel was doing Europe’s “dirty work.” According to the Iranian diplomat, these comments reveal the moral and political logic behind Western support for Israeli actions.

“From a moral perspective, German Chancellor Merz’s words, describing the actions of the unilateralist coalition last summer, when the Israeli regime bombed homes and businesses in Iran, could prove quite instructive,” Jalali emphasized.

The statements also drew a reaction from Russia. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Chancellor Merz had made a number of remarks that, in Moscow’s view, constituted an “absolute manifestation of Nazism and racism,” sharply condemning both the rhetoric and the broader Western approach to the conflict.

The exchange of accusations comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and Western countries following Israel’s military actions and ongoing debates in Europe and the United States over additional sanctions and political pressure on Tehran.