Portuguese Prime Minister recalls that “conflicts are resolved when there is capacity for dialogue between the parties involved”
Portuguese Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, and German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, defended this Tuesday in Berlin a coordinated response of diplomatic pressure and political containment towards Iran, warning of the economic and security impacts associated with instability in the Middle East.
In a joint press conference, Montenegro stated that “conflicts are resolved when there is capacity for dialogue between the parties involved”, highlighting that Portugal has maintained a position based on diplomatic and negotiating channels.
Even so, he considered that “what Iran is doing is unacceptable, from the point of view of obtaining nuclear potential in military terms, and absolutely unacceptable in terms of consequences for international trade (…) and attacks that do not follow criteria that are understood by all countries in the region”.
The Portuguese Prime Minister added that Europe must reinforce its diplomatic and political stance, arguing that “Europe must reaffirm the strength of arguments in a relationship of dialogue, negotiation and achievement of what is agreed”.
In turn, Merz warned of the economic impact of the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, stating that “the Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz affects the German and Portuguese economies and we must strive to ensure that the sea lanes are unobstructed”, defending increased pressure on Tehran.
“I defended the increase in sanctions on Tehran if the blockade continues (…) Iran has to sit at the table and negotiate”, highlighted the German Chancellor, adding that Berlin is coordinating with Washington on the response to the Iranian dossier.
Luís Montenegro was received by Friedrich Merz on Tuesday afternoon at the Chancellery with a guard of honor. After the joint press conference, the two went to a private meeting. A meeting is also planned between delegations from the two countries with the presence of the Minister of Economy and Territorial Cohesion, Manuel Castro Almeida.
Germany is the largest economy in the European Union, Portugal’s third main customer and second supplier, and between 2021 and 2025, Portuguese exports of goods and services to that country grew, on average, 12.9%, while imports increased by 7.1%.
After the meeting, Montenegro and Merz participate in the “Wirtschaftstag”, one of the main economic-political conferences in Germany, organized by the Wirtschaftsrat der CDU, which brings together around 3,000 businesspeople.
This business association is historically linked to the political space of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the party of the current German Chancellor, but is legally independent.
According to the same source, the invitation for the Portuguese Prime Minister to participate came from the German Chancellor himself, “being interpreted as a sign of interest in deepening bilateral relations”.
The event, which takes place on the 4th and 5th of May in Berlin, brings together European political and business leaders to debate the future of the economy, industry and investment, with the presence of heads of companies such as Siemens, Deutsche Bank and BASF.
The prime minister’s program also includes a speech at the event, before returning to Lisbon at the end of the night.
