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Pope Leo, known for choosing his words carefully, rarely appeals directly to national leaders but has been increasingly critical of the Iran war.
CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy – Pope Leo urged US President Donald Trump on Tuesday, March 31, to find a “convenient” way to end the war with Iran, in a rare direct appeal from a pope at a time when the regional conflict is growing.
“I have been told that President Trump said recently that he would like to end the war,” said Leo, the first US pope.
“I hope he finds a way out,” the pope told reporters outside his residence in Castel Gandolfo, near Rome. “I hope he finds a way to reduce the level of violence.”
Leo, who is known for choosing his words carefully, rarely makes direct appeals to national leaders but has been increasingly critical of the Iran war in recent weeks.
On Sunday, March 29, in unusually strong words, the pope said that God rejects the prayers of leaders who start wars with “bloody hands.”
The month-long Iran conflict, triggered by US and Israeli airstrikes against Iran on February 28, has spread across the region, killing thousands of people, disrupting energy supplies and threatening to send the world economy into a tailspin.
Leo lamented on Tuesday the number of people who have been killed and said he hoped the violence could end before Easter on April 5.
“There have been many deaths, including innocent children,” the pope said. “Let us continue to pray for peace.”
“There are too many people who promote fighting, violence (and) war,” said Leo. – Rappler.com
