Posted by Samuel on Sun 01st Mar, 2026 - tori.ng
On Saturday, Israel and the United States began joint airstrikes on Tehran and other Iranian cities, prompting retaliatory attacks by Iran.
On Sunday, Pope Leo XIV called on the nations involved in the intensifying Middle East conflict to acknowledge their moral duty to seek peace after reported airstrikes by the United States and Israel on Iran.
According to Vatican News, the Pope made the call during his Angelus address on Sunday, where he expressed “deep concern” over recent developments in the region, particularly in Iran.
“Stability and peace are not built with mutual threats, nor with weapons, which sow destruction, pain, and death, but only through a reasonable, authentic, and responsible dialogue,” he said.
The Pontiff warned that an uncontrolled escalation of violence could result in catastrophic consequences.
“Faced with the possibility of a tragedy of enormous proportions.
“I address to the parties involved a heartfelt appeal to assume the moral responsibility to stop the spiral of violence before it becomes an irreparable abyss!,” he said.
Pope Leo XIV also prayed that diplomacy would regain prominence in resolving the crisis.
“May diplomacy recover its role and may the good of peoples be promoted, peoples who long for peaceful coexistence founded on justice. And let us continue to pray for peace,” he said.
On Saturday, Israel and the United States reportedly began joint airstrikes on Tehran and other Iranian cities, prompting retaliatory attacks by Iran targeting Israel and several Gulf countries hosting American military bases.
In a dramatic development, Iranian state-run news agencies later announced the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had ruled the country for nearly 37 years.