Pope Leo XIV has issued a stark and urgent appeal for an end to the escalating conflict in Iran, warning that the region teeters on the edge of what he described as an “irreparable abyss”.
Speaking during his Sunday Angelus address from St Peter’s Square, the Pope condemned the ongoing violence in the Middle East, particularly the latest developments in Iran, where US bombers struck nuclear sites following a recent flare-up of hostilities between Iran and Israel.
“Alarming news continues to arrive from the Middle East, especially from Iran,” the Pope told the faithful gathered at the Vatican. “Humanity cries out and pleads for peace.”
His remarks came just hours after reports confirmed that American warplanes had targeted facilities in Iran’s Isfahan, Fordow, and Natanz regions, deepening concerns that the confrontation could widen into a broader regional conflict.
Pope Leo, who has repeatedly called for peace in the region, said the world must not become numb to the daily suffering caused by war, singling out the plight of civilians in Gaza, Israel, and Iranian cities now bracing for retaliation.
“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 need for adequate humanitarian aid becomes ever more urgent,” he said.
He warned that war, while often waged under the guise of national interest or defence, ultimately resolves little and instead perpetuates cycles of trauma and destruction.
“War does not solve problems,” said the Pontiff. “On the contrary, it amplifies them and causes deep wounds in the history of peoples—wounds that take generations to heal. No military victory can ever compensate for a mother’s pain, a child’s fear, or a stolen future.”
Calling on global leaders to act with "responsibility and reason", Pope Leo reminded them of their moral duty to protect human dignity above all else.
“When human dignity is at stake, no conflict is distant,” he said. “The cry for peace demands responsibility and reason and must not be drowned out by the roar of weapons or by rhetorical words that incite conflict.”
The Pope’s plea comes amid growing fears that the tit-for-tat strikes between Israel and Iran could drag neighbouring countries into the fray, further destabilising the already volatile region.
He concluded his remarks with a call for diplomacy to take precedence over violence: “Let diplomacy silence the weapons! Let nations shape their future with works of peace, not through violence and bloody conflicts.”
The Vatican has not yet announced any formal mediation efforts, but senior sources confirm that the Holy See remains in contact with several international and humanitarian bodies to monitor the situation closely.
