Pope Leo XIV called for a return to diplomacy, after the United State and Israel launched an attack on Iran Feb. 28.
In his address March 1, the pope conveyed his “profound concern” about the escalation of violence in the Middle East, stating that “stability and peace are not achieved through mutual threats, nor through the use of weapons, which sow destruction, suffering, and death, but only through reasonable, sincere, and responsible dialogue.”
The pope spoke of the possibility of great tragedy if violence in the region continued to escalate. He made “a heartfelt appeal to all the parties involved to assume the moral responsibility of halting the spiral of violence before it becomes an unbridgeable chasm.”
Praying for nations to seek peace through dialogue, the pope said, “May diplomacy regain its proper role, and may the well-being of peoples, who yearn for peaceful existence founded on justice, be upheld. And let us continue to pray for peace.”
On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States began joint airstrikes on Tehran and several other Iranian cities, killing the country’s senior leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who ruled Iran for nearly 37 years. Iran retaliated with attacks on Israel and on U.S. military bases in other Gulf nations.
