Pope Leo XIV has renewed his appeal for peace amid escalating tensions over Iran, warning that threats against an entire people are unacceptable and insisting that the conflict must be brought back to the negotiating table. Speaking to journalists outside Villa Barberini in Castel Gandolfo on Tuesday evening, the Pope called on “all people of goodwill” to reject war and seek peaceful solutions instead.
The Pope’s intervention came after a day of heightened rhetoric surrounding Iran and the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump had threatened the “annihilation” of Iran’s “whole civilization” if Tehran failed to comply with demands over reopening the waterway. In response, Pope Leo said that “this threat against the entire people of Iran … truly is not acceptable” and appealed for dialogue before further lives are lost.
