Pope Leo XIV has called on the governments of Iran and Israel to choose “reason” and prioritize dialogue amid escalating regional tensions, delivering one of the strongest peace messages of his five-week papacy.
Addressing a Jubilee audience at St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday, the Pope voiced serious concern about the deteriorating situation in the Middle East.
“In such a delicate moment, I strongly wish to renew an appeal to responsibility and to reason,” Pope Leo said.
He emphasized the urgent need for international cooperation to create a world free from nuclear threats, advocating for open and respectful conversations as the path to lasting global peace.
“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 stated.
He further stressed,
“No one should ever threaten the existence of another.
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.”