Pope Leo pleads for peace after US airstrikes in Iran

Speaking after his Angelus reflection on June 22, Pope Leo reacted to the “alarming news” of the airstrikes. He pleaded with the international community to “stop the tragedy of war before it becomes an irreparable abyss”.

“Today more than ever, humanity cries out and pleads for peace,” the Pope said. This cry “must not be drowned out by the roar of weapons or by rhetoric that incites conflict”, he added.

US President Donald Trump announced on June 21 that the US had “obliterated” Iran’s main nuclear sites with massive bunker-busting bombs. Iran responded by launching a volley of missiles at Israel. Scores of civilians were wounded in a missile strike in Tel Aviv, Reuters reported.

Speaking to pilgrims gathered in St Peter’s Square, Pope Leo framed the attacks, which have escalated the confrontation between Israel and Iran, within the broader context of regional conflicts.

“In this dramatic scenario, which includes Israel and Palestine, the daily suffering of the population – especially in Gaza and other territories – risks being forgotten, even as the urgency for proper humanitarian support becomes ever more pressing,” he said.

“There are no distant conflicts when human dignity is at stake,” he said. “War does not solve problems. On the contrary, it amplifies them and inflicts deep wounds on the history of nations that take generations to heal.”

The Pope also evoked the most heartbreaking human toll of violence. “No armed victory can make up for a mother’s grief, a child’s fear, or a stolen future,” he said.

Finally, he renewed his call for diplomacy and commitment to peace: “Let diplomacy silence the weapons; let nations shape their future through works of peace, not through violence and bloody conflict.”

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Pope Leo XIV after U.S. bombings in Iran: ‘Humanity cries out and pleads for peace’ (By Victoria Cardiel/Catholic News Agency)