Germany news: Iran war stokes new inflation fears

## Summary
https://p.dw.com/p/5BIzb Germans are bracing for inflation to make a comeback within months Image: Michael Bihlmayer/CHROMORANGE/picture alliance Advertisement Skip next section What you need to know What you need to know Survey: A third of Germans expect the cost of living to increase Merz accuses Trump of "massive escalation" in Iran war Chancellor says German army could help clear mines from Strait of Hormuz German FM Wadephul says Germany now has clarity on US war aims Buy Deutschlandticket to offset rising fuel prices, transport minister says Follow the latest developments from across Germany on Saturday, March 28. He was lying handcuffed on the ground, guarded by two police officers." More details as we get it. https://p.dw.com/p/5BJHo Skip next section Merz: German military could help clear Hormuz of mines 03/28/2026 March 28, 2026 Merz: German military could help clear Hormuz of mines Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the Bundeswehr armed forces could be deployed to clear mines in the Strait of Hormuz once the war in Iran has ended. "We can do that," Merz told an event by a German newspaper in Frankfurt on Friday evening. "If we are asked ... and it takes place within the framework of a genuine collective security mandate that is, the United Nations, NATO, the European Union — with a resolution from the Bundestag, that is an option." The Chancellor noted that the Bundeswehr has several minesweepers. Trump delays Strait of Hormuz deadline To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video https://p.dw.com/p/5BJJL Skip next section Merz, Trump clash again over Iran war strategy 03/28/2026 March 28, 2026 Merz, Trump clash again over Iran war strategy Merz renewed his criticism of Trump at an event in Frankfurt Image: Hannes P. Earlier Friday, Trump doubled down on his criticism of Germany for its lack of support in securing oil and gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz . "Friedrich, the chancellor of Germany, he said, 'This is not our war'," Trump said, adding that "Ukraine is not our war, but we help them." https://p.dw.com/p/5BJCZ Skip next section Germans fear new bout of inflation as fuel prices soar Published 03/28/2026 Published March 28, 2026 last updated 03/28/2026 last updated March 28, 2026 Germans fear new bout of inflation as fuel prices soar Nine out of ten German residents expect the cost of living to increase in the coming months, according to a new YouGov survey for Postbank.

## Article Content
https://p.dw.com/p/5BIzb
Germans are bracing for inflation to make a comeback within months
Image: Michael Bihlmayer/CHROMORANGE/picture alliance
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Skip next section What you need to know
What you need to know
Survey: A third of Germans expect the cost of living to increase
Merz accuses Trump of "massive escalation" in Iran war
Chancellor says German army could help clear mines from Strait of Hormuz
German FM Wadephul says Germany now has clarity on US war aims
Buy Deutschlandticket to offset rising fuel prices, transport minister says
Follow the latest developments from across
Germany
on Saturday, March 28.
Skip next section Mother, two children seriously injured in Witten
03/28/2026
March 28, 2026
Mother, two children seriously injured in Witten
Police have launched a major operation after two children and their mother were seriously injured in Witten, in western Germany.
Few details are currently known about the incident, which was first reported by
Bild
newspaper.
Bild
said police responded to an emergency call at 10:29 a.m local time (09:29 UTC/GMT) on Saturday.
DPA news agency said one of the children was seriously injured.
A suspect has been arrested.
A witness told the mass circulation newspaper: "His hands were covered in blood. He was lying handcuffed on the ground, guarded by two police officers."
More details as we get it.
https://p.dw.com/p/5BJHo
Skip next section Merz: German military could help clear Hormuz of mines
03/28/2026
March 28, 2026
Merz: German military could help clear Hormuz of mines
Germany's
Chancellor
Friedrich Merz
said the
Bundeswehr
armed forces could be deployed to clear mines in the Strait of Hormuz once the war in Iran has ended.
"We can do that," Merz told an event by a German newspaper in Frankfurt on Friday evening. "If we are asked ... and it takes place within the framework of a genuine collective security mandate  that is, the United Nations, NATO, the European Union — with a resolution from the Bundestag, that is an option."
The Chancellor noted that the Bundeswehr has several minesweepers.
But he added the proposal is "theoretical" right now as Iran has yet to drop mines into the waterway between Iran and Oman, through which a fifth of the world's oil supply moved, before the conflict.
US President Donald Trump has extended the deadline for Iran to reopen Hormuz, or reach a deal ot end the war, until April 6 before the US launches attacks on Iranian power plants.
Trump delays Strait of Hormuz deadline
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that
supports HTML5 video
https://p.dw.com/p/5BJJL
Skip next section Merz, Trump clash again over Iran war strategy
03/28/2026
March 28, 2026
Merz, Trump clash again over Iran war strategy
Merz renewed his criticism of Trump at an event in Frankfurt
Image: Hannes P. Albert/dpa/picture alliance
Germany's
Chancellor
Friedrich Merz
has accused US President
Donald Trump
of a "massive escalation" in the
Iran war
.
“What Trump is doing right now is not de-escalation and an attempt to reach a peaceful solution, but a massive escalation with an uncertain outcome,” Merz said late Friday at an event in Frankfurt.
“These are escalations that are threatening,” he added. “Not only for those directly affected, but for all of us.”
Merz also questioned whether the
United States
and
Israel
can realistically oust
Iran's
current leadership.
“Is regime change really the goal?” he asked. “If that is the goal, I don’t think they will achieve it. That has usually gone wrong.”
The rhetoric between Washington and Berlin has become more heated in recent days.
Earlier Friday, Trump doubled down on his criticism of Germany for its lack of support in securing oil and gas shipments through the
Strait of Hormuz
.
"Friedrich, the chancellor of Germany, he said, 'This is not our war'," Trump said, adding that "Ukraine is not our war, but we help them."
https://p.dw.com/p/5BJCZ
Skip next section Germans fear new bout of inflation as fuel prices soar
Published 03/28/2026
Published March 28, 2026
last updated 03/28/2026
last updated March 28, 2026
Germans fear new bout of inflation as fuel prices soar
Nine out of ten German residents expect the
cost of living
to increase in the coming months, according to a new YouGov survey for Postbank.
Meanwhile, nearly a third of the 2,028 people questioned believe the Iran war will cause significant price rises, adding to household budget pressures.
Germany
, along with much of the rest of the world, saw
inflation
spike to decades-high levels following the pandemic and
Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine
in 2022.
Nearly a quarter of those polled who earn less than €2,500 ($2,900) per month say they are barely able to cover their basic living expenses, compared to almost 13% of all respondents.
Food, energy and transport were cited as the top three cost pressures.
Vehicle fuel prices have risen between 15% and 30% in Germany since the Iran war started
Image: Rene Tr

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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
- Meanwhile, nearly a third of the 2,028 people questioned believe the Iran war will cause significant price rises, adding to household budget pressures.
- Many economists have predicted higher inflation in the next few months due to higher oil and gas prices caused by Iran's effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical energy shipping lane in the Persian Gulf.

### Areas for Consideration
- Trump delays Strait of Hormuz deadline To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video https://p.dw.com/p/5BJJL Skip next section Merz, Trump clash again over Iran war strategy 03/28/2026 March 28, 2026 Merz, Trump clash again over Iran war strategy Merz renewed his criticism of Trump at an event in Frankfurt Image: Hannes P.
- Earlier Friday, Trump doubled down on his criticism of Germany for its lack of support in securing oil and gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz . "Friedrich, the chancellor of Germany, he said, 'This is not our war'," Trump said, adding that "Ukraine is not our war, but we help them." https://p.dw.com/p/5BJCZ Skip next section Germans fear new bout of inflation as fuel prices soar Published 03/28/2026 Published March 28, 2026 last updated 03/28/2026 last updated March 28, 2026 Germans fear new bout of inflation as fuel prices soar Nine out of ten German residents expect the cost of living to increase in the coming months, according to a new YouGov survey for Postbank.

### Implications
- https://p.dw.com/p/5BIzb Germans are bracing for inflation to make a comeback within months Image: Michael Bihlmayer/CHROMORANGE/picture alliance Advertisement Skip next section What you need to know What you need to know Survey: A third of Germans expect the cost of living to increase Merz accuses Trump of "massive escalation" in Iran war Chancellor says German army could help clear mines from Strait of Hormuz German FM Wadephul says Germany now has clarity on US war aims Buy Deutschlandticket to offset rising fuel prices, transport minister says Follow the latest developments from across Germany on Saturday, March 28.
- He was lying handcuffed on the ground, guarded by two police officers." More details as we get it. https://p.dw.com/p/5BJHo Skip next section Merz: German military could help clear Hormuz of mines 03/28/2026 March 28, 2026 Merz: German military could help clear Hormuz of mines Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the Bundeswehr armed forces could be deployed to clear mines in the Strait of Hormuz once the war in Iran has ended. "We can do that," Merz told an event by a German newspaper in Frankfurt on Friday evening. "If we are asked ... and it takes place within the framework of a genuine collective security mandate that is, the United Nations, NATO, the European Union — with a resolution from the Bundestag, that is an option." The Chancellor noted that the Bundeswehr has several minesweepers.
- Albert/dpa/picture alliance Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz has accused US President Donald Trump of a "massive escalation" in the Iran war . “What Trump is doing right now is not de-escalation and an attempt to reach a peaceful solution, but a massive escalation with an uncertain outcome,” Merz said late Friday at an event in Frankfurt. “These are escalations that are threatening,” he added. “Not only for those directly affected, but for all of us.” Merz also questioned whether the United States and Israel can realistically oust Iran's current leadership. “Is regime change really the goal?” he asked. “If that is the goal, I don’t think they will achieve it.
- Earlier Friday, Trump doubled down on his criticism of Germany for its lack of support in securing oil and gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz . "Friedrich, the chancellor of Germany, he said, 'This is not our war'," Trump said, adding that "Ukraine is not our war, but we help them." https://p.dw.com/p/5BJCZ Skip next section Germans fear new bout of inflation as fuel prices soar Published 03/28/2026 Published March 28, 2026 last updated 03/28/2026 last updated March 28, 2026 Germans fear new bout of inflation as fuel prices soar Nine out of ten German residents expect the cost of living to increase in the coming months, according to a new YouGov survey for Postbank.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers iran, war, merz topics. Notable strengths include discussion of iran. Areas of concern are also raised. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 1117.