Germany's Merz sees no plan for bringing Iran war to swift end

BERLIN, March 10 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Friedrich Merz underlined growing concern in Europe at the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran on Tuesday saying a "dangerous escalation" was underway with "clearly no joint plan" for bringing it to an end.

Merz's comments, which echoed remarks he made at the end of last week, came after U.S. President Donald Trump said the war could end "soon" but also said the U.S. could escalate its attacks if Iran sought to block tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

Merz said that Germany shared "many of the goals" of the U.S. and Israeli operation, which killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamanei, but he said questions were arising with each day that passed, amid signs of a dangerous escalation.

"We are particularly concerned that there is clearly no joint plan for bringing this war to a swift and convincing end," Merz said at a joint press conference in Berlin with Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis.

"We have no interest in a war without end. We have no interest in the dissolution of Iran's territorial integrity, statehood or economic viability," he added.

The world needed "a stable, viable Iran as part of a regional peace and security order in which neither Israel nor other partners are threatened," he said.

The remarks reflect the concern in Europe at the economic damage inflicted by any prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil passes, as well as by fears of the disorder that would follow a breakdown in Iran's state institutions.

"A scenario such as we have seen in Libya, Iraq or other countries in the region would also harm us all," he said. "This affects our security, our energy supply and possibly also the situation surrounding migration."

(Reporting by James Mackenzie and Friederike HeineEditing by Miranda Murray, Alexandra Hudson)