Pope Leo XIV has seemingly rebuked President Trump over his decision to launch missile strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
The U.S. launched multiple strikes against Iranian targets on Saturday evening, with Trump urging Iranian leaders to come back to the negotiating table.
“War Starts Right Now”: Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Vows Retaliation After Trump Orders Bombing of Three Nuclear Sites
Leo, who has held the papacy for less than two months, posted on the X platform on Sunday afternoon with a warning that “war does not solve problems.”
“War does not solve problems; on the contrary, it amplifies them and inflicts deep wounds on the history of peoples, which take generations to heal,” he wrote.
”No armed victory can compensate for the pain of mothers, the fear of children, or stolen futures.”
”May diplomacy silence the weapons! May nations chart their futures with works of peace, not with violence and bloodstained conflicts!”
War does not solve problems; on the contrary, it amplifies them and inflicts deep wounds on the history of peoples, which take generations to heal. No armed victory can compensate for the pain of mothers, the fear of children, or stolen futures. May diplomacy silence the weapons!…
— Pope Leo XIV (@Pontifex) June 22, 2025
The Pontiff also weighed in on the broader problems plaguing the Middle East:
Alarming news continues to emerge from the Middle East, especially from Iran.
Against this tragic backdrop, which includes Israel and Palestine, people’s daily suffering, especially in Gaza and the other territories, where the need for adequate humanitarian aid is becoming increasingly urgent, risks being forgotten.
Today more than ever, humanity cries out and calls for peace. This is a cry that requires responsibility and reason, and it must not be drowned out by the din of weapons or the rhetoric that incites conflict.
Every member of the international community has a moral responsibility to stop the tragedy of war before it becomes an irreparable chasm. There are no “distant” conflicts when human dignity is at stake.
Today more than ever, humanity cries out and calls for peace. This is a cry that requires responsibility and reason, and it must not be drowned out by the din of weapons or the rhetoric that incites conflict. Every member of the international community has a moral responsibility…
— Pope Leo XIV (@Pontifex) June 22, 2025
War does not solve problems; on the contrary, it amplifies them and inflicts deep wounds on the history of peoples, which take generations to heal. No armed victory can compensate for the pain of mothers, the fear of children, or stolen futures. May diplomacy silence the weapons!…
— Pope Leo XIV (@Pontifex) June 22, 2025
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