UPDATE - Germany's Merz says Iran regime's fall in 'final days and weeks'

UPDATES WITH COMMENTS FROM GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER WADEPHUL, ADDS BACKGROUND, MINOR EDITS

By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN (AA) - German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday said that he expects Iran's government to collapse soon, predicting the regime is living through its "final days and weeks" as mass protests continue across the country.

"When a regime can only maintain power through violence, it is effectively finished. I assume that we are now witnessing the final days and weeks of this regime," Merz told reporters during his official visit to India.

The German chancellor argued that Iran's leadership no longer has legitimacy and said he hopes for a peaceful transition to end the unrest. Merz noted that Berlin is in close contact with the US, Britain, and France on developments in Iran.

"The foreign ministers are in close contact with each other to ensure that there can be a peaceful transition in Iran to a democratically legitimized government," the conservative leader said.

- Wadephul urges tougher sanctions

Germany's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Monday during his US visit that Berlin will pursue stronger sanctions against Iran's government following the crackdown on protesters.

"We will use all available measures to impose sanctions on this regime," Wadephul said after meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington, DC. "This includes listing it under the EU's terror sanctions regime – which we cannot yet implement because it requires unanimity – but we remain committed to achieving this," he said.

Iran has been experiencing widespread anti-government protests since last month, driven by severe economic deterioration and a historic collapse of the national currency.

Iranian authorities have accused the US and Israel of supporting what they characterize as "armed rioters" in the country.

While official casualty figures have not been released, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) estimates that at least 646 people have died, including both security forces and protesters, with over 1,000 injured.

HRANA has also reported that at least 10,721 individuals have been detained across protests in 585 locations nationwide, spanning 187 cities in all 31 provinces.