Pope Leo appeals for 'reason' amid Israel-Iran airstrikes, calls for dialogue

14/6/2025 17:48

Pope Leo appealed on Saturday for authorities in Iran and Israel to act with "reason" after airstrikes between the two countries killed dozens and sent civilians into shelters, and called on the nations to pursue dialogue.



Leo, in one of the strongest peace appeals yet of his five-week papacy, told an audience in St. Peter's Basilica he was following the situation with "great concern."



"In such a delicate moment, I strongly wish to renew an appeal to responsibility and to reason," said the pope.



"The commitment to building a safer world free from the nuclear threat must be pursued through respectful encounters and sincere dialogue to build a lasting peace, founded on justice, fraternity, and the common good," he said.



"No one should ever threaten the existence of another," said Leo. "It is the duty of all countries to support the cause of peace, initiating paths of reconciliation and promoting solutions that guarantee security and dignity for all."



The pope read aloud his appeal on Saturday in Italian from a piece of paper Israel launched a large-scale attack on Iran early on Friday, targeting commanders, military targets and nuclear sites in what it called a "preemptive strike" to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapons programme.