German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said after meeting President Donald Trump that he was missing answers on how the situation in Iran could develop after the war.

Many questions remained open after a “very open” discussion at the White House on Tuesday, Mr Merz said in an interview with German broadcaster ZDF.

“What is actually your strategy for the day after? Is there a vision for how this country will be governed afterwards?” Mr Merz said.

He added that he had noticed a “relatively high degree of uncertainty”.

The chancellor said they had also discussed the basis upon which the intervention had taken place.

Efforts to negotiate with Iran have been ongoing for decades, he said.

“There has been no lack of diplomacy. But there has been a lack of willingness to cooperate on the part of Iran, and developments towards a nuclear weapon have progressed very far.

“At some point, you also have to say stop,” Mr Merz said.

Mr Trump hosted Mr Merz for a bilateral meeting at the White House on Tuesday, the second such meeting since Mr Merz took office.

(dpa/NAN)