Germany updates: German foreign minister visits Saudi Arabia

Asked about a de-escalation of the crisis between Iran and Israel, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has said he was "hopeful of achieving a better situation in the next few days."

To achieve this, he said, he is asking those he is meeting with in the Middle East to talk with Iran. Germany is talking to Israel, Wadephul said. 

Wadephul made the comments to Germany's ARD public broadcaster from Qatar, where he met with his Qatari counterpart Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani. 

The aim is to "find out where a compromise can be found, where there is a basis for talks on both sides," Wadephul told ARD.

During the meeting, Qatar condemned Israel's attack on Iranian territory, saying it was a flagrant violation of Iran's sovereignty and security, Qatari media reported.

Wadephul is to speak on Sunday with Oman's Foreign Minister, he said. 

Oman has been mediating in talks between Iran and the United States over Iran's nuclear program. 

The handball Champions League will have an all-German final as Füchse Berlin and SC Magdeburg secured the two spots in the trophy showdown.

Magdeburg won the second semifinal against record winners and defending champions FC Barcelona 31:30 (18:18).

They will face Füchse Berlin in the final that will take place on Sunday in Cologne. The Berlin club had beaten the French team HBC Nantes 34:24 on Saturday.

"We have always believed in ourselves. That was the most important today," Magdeburg coach Bennet Wiegert said.

Magdeburg has won the Champions League twice, in 2002 and 2023. Meanwhile, Berlin has never won the trophy.

Germany's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul met with his Saudi Arabian counterpart Faisal bin Farhan in Riyadh on Saturday.

The conflict between Israel and Iran has cast a shadow over his tour of the region, forcing Wadephul to make last minute changes to his itinerary.

After his visit to Egypt on Thursday, the German foreign minister had been due to travel to Lebanon, Syria, Israel and Jordan, but he had to cancel those plans due to the deteriorating security situation.

Following his meeting with bin Farhan, Wadephul said he is in "favor of de-escalating the situation now and finding a way out of further military confrontation." 

A further escalation, he said, would have "incalculable consequences."

"This region needs peace and not an escalation of military conflicts," Wadephul added.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Saturday praised the Schengen Agreement, which led to internal borders among most European Union member states being removed to allow free movement within the bloc.

Saturday marks 40 years since the agreement was signed.

"The Schengen Agreement is unique, the foundation of our free Europe. It should stay that way: We want a strong European internal market without restrictions," Merz said on X.

"This requires secure external borders, implementation of the new migration rules, and effective cooperation," he added.

The chancellor, who took office last month, has sought to clamp down on irregular migration to Germany amid rising anti-immigrant sentiment in his country and a far-right movement that has been gaining strength in recent years.

Germany has reinstated police controls on roads and railways along many of its borders.

At a ceremony marking the 40th anniversary of the Schengen Agreement in Schengen, Luxembourg, the premier of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, Alexander Schweitzer, said the federal government's recently imposed border checks must not become permanent.

"They are not agreed as a permanent measure, they are not designed to be permanent," Alexander Schweitzer said of the border checks. 

The Schengen Agreement was signed in 1985 by Germany, France, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands. Today, some 29 countries with around 420 million inhabitants belong to the border and customs-free zone. 

"Schengen is a historic achievement of today's Europe," Schweitzer said. "We must not throw Europe and what we have achieved in Europe out like a baby with the bath water," he added, while emphasizing that he was not opposed to "local, temporary, well-justified border controls." 

Following Johann Wadephul's meeting with his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan, the German Foreign Minister said he had discussed the "highly volatile" situation in the Middle East.

Wadephul said in a post on X that he was concerned by the attacks "in both directions" by Iran and Israel, warning the "danger of escalation is real."

"Iran's nuclear program threatens not only Israel, but also Saudi Arabia and the stability of the entire region," the German minister said.

He said Germany and the "region's states" shared the desire to "avoid nuclear armament."

Wadephul also mentioned the "catastrophic" humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, highlighting the need for a "common perspective" for the post-war period.

While Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, have strongly criticized Israel's attacks against Iran as well as its military offensive in Gaza, Germany has been far more cautious.

After his meetings in Saudi Arabia, Wadephul said the German government was working with its "Israeli partners" towards peace and de-escalation. 

But he also emphasized Germany's long-standing commitment to the security and existence of the State of Israel.

Guten tag from sunny Bonn. This is where you'll find DW's latest news from across Germany and beyond, as Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul pushes ahead with his hastily rearranged tour of the Middle East.

Wadephul has met with his counterpart from Saudi Arabia Faisal bin Farhan. The German diplomat said the pair had discussed the "highly volatile" situation in the Middle East.

Back in Germany, Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who has promised to clamp down on immigration at home, has praised the European Union's border-free Schengen area on its 40th anniversary.

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