Pope Leo XIV has called on countries involved in the escalating conflict in the Middle East to recognise their moral responsibility to pursue peace.
Speaking during his Angelus address on Sunday, the Pope expressed “deep concern” over recent developments, particularly in Iran, following reported airstrikes by the United States and Israel.
“Stability and peace are not built with mutual threats, nor with weapons,” he said, warning that violence would only bring “destruction, pain and death”. Instead, he urged what he described as “reasonable, authentic and responsible dialogue”.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe Pope cautioned that the situation could spiral into a much larger crisis if not contained. He appealed directly to those involved to “stop the spiral of violence before it becomes an irreparable abyss”.
He also expressed hope that diplomacy would take priority in resolving the conflict, adding that people across the region were longing for peaceful coexistence based on justice.
The appeal comes after reports that the United States and Israel carried out coordinated airstrikes on Tehran and other Iranian cities on Saturday, prompting retaliatory attacks by Iran targeting Israel and Gulf states hosting US military bases.
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Iranian state media have also reported the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, a development that could further heighten tensions across the region.
Prosper Okoye is a Correspondent and Research Writer at Prime Business Africa, a Nigerian journalist with experience in development reporting, public affairs, and policy-focused storytelling across Africa
