The head of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo, on Wednesday welcomed a two-week ceasefire in the ongoing Iran conflict, describing it as a positive step toward restoring peace, while sharply criticising remarks by Donald Trump threatening the Iranian population.
Speaking during his weekly audience, the pope expressed satisfaction with the truce announcement, which comes after weeks of heightened tensions in the Middle East.
“In light of these past hours of great tension for the Middle East and for the whole world, I welcome with satisfaction the announcement of an immediate two-week truce,” he said.
He stressed that sustained dialogue remains the only viable path to ending the conflict, adding that “only through a return to negotiation can an end to the war be achieved.”
The pope, who has increasingly spoken out against the war involving U.S. and Israeli interests in Iran, intensified his criticism following comments made by Trump a day earlier. The former U.S. president had warned that “a whole civilisation will die tonight” if Iran failed to comply with U.S. demands for a truce.
Reacting to the statement, Pope Leo described the threat as “truly unacceptable,” marking a rare direct response to a global political figure.
As the spiritual leader of approximately 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, the pope is known for his measured tone, making his recent outspoken stance on the conflict particularly notable.
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