Tehran (Iran), May 19, 2026, BNN Web Staff: Tehran has strongly criticised Germany following comments made by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz regarding recent attacks linked to the Gulf region, accusing Western nations of applying “selective” principles in matters of international law and regional security.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei, reacting to the German stance, said Western reactions to attacks on nuclear facilities appear inconsistent, arguing that condemnations are issued selectively depending on political interests rather than universal principles.
Baghaei claimed that strikes attributed to the United States and Israel on Iranian nuclear-related sites have often gone without strong international condemnation, while other incidents in the region are quickly framed as violations of global security norms.
He also referred to allegations surrounding reported drone activity near the Barakah nuclear facility in the United Arab Emirates, noting that attribution of responsibility has not been officially confirmed by all parties, including the UAE itself in certain contexts.
In his remarks, the spokesperson emphasised that if nuclear infrastructure is considered critical to regional safety, then protections must be applied equally across all countries without political bias.
He further drew a literary analogy, comparing what he described as “selective justice” to a character from German literature, suggesting that moral authority is weakened when applied inconsistently.
Earlier, Chancellor Merz had condemned any strikes near nuclear installations in the region, warning that such actions could escalate tensions and endanger civilian populations and environmental safety.
He called for restraint and adherence to international norms governing nuclear facilities.
The UAE has separately described the reported drone strike near the Barakah nuclear site as a serious escalation and stressed that peaceful nuclear infrastructure must be protected under international law and IAEA safety standards.
