In the wake of the American strikes on nuclear sites in the Islamist-run nation of Iran, Pope Leo XIV called for a return to diplomacy and prayed for peace to come to the Middle East.

During his Angelus address on Sunday, Pope Leo lamented that “alarming news continues to arrive from the Middle East, especially from Iran.”

The comments from the American Pontiff came just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump launched a series of targeted strikes on their Iranian nuclear facilities in a bid to prevent the radical regime from completing their bid to develop nuclear weapons.

While Pope Leo did not specifically mention the bombings, he said: “War does not solve problems… On the contrary, it amplifies them and causes deep wounds in the history of peoples—wounds that take generations to heal.

“No military victory can ever compensate for a mother’s pain, a child’s fear, or a stolen future.”

“Today, more than ever, humanity cries out and pleads for peace,” he added.

Pope Leo went on to call on the international community to redouble diplomatic efforts to bring the conflict to an end and to “stop the tragedy of war before it becomes an irreparable abyss.”

The Pope said the cause of peace “demands responsibility and reason and must not be drowned out by the roar of weapons or by rhetorical words that incite conflict.”

“Let diplomacy silence the weapons! Let nations shape their future with works of peace, not through violence and bloody conflicts!”

“In this dramatic scenario, which includes Israel and Palestine,” he continued, “the daily suffering of the population—especially in Gaza and other territories—risks being forgotten, even as the need for adequate humanitarian aid becomes ever more urgent.”

The Pope’s comments came amid calls throughout Europe on Sunday for Iran to return to the negotiating table and reach a peace agreement.

On Friday, representatives from Britain, France, Germany, the EU and Iran met in Geneva, Switzerland for crunch peace talks. However, Tehran maintained its position that it would not engage directly with the Trump administration.

Following the strikes on Iran, President Trump once again called on Tehran to come to the table for talks, saying: “Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace.”

Israeli security forces gather outside the site of an Iranian airstrike in Tel Aviv on June 22, 2025 (AFP or licensors)

Pope Leo XIV appeals for an end to the tragedy of war, especially in the Middle East, and recalls that war only amplifies problems and creates deep wounds without providing lasting solutions.

By Devin Watkins

“Alarming news continues to arrive from the Middle East, especially from Iran,” said Pope Leo on Sunday at the Angelus address.

The Holy Father’s words came just hours after US bombers struck nuclear sites in Iran, as Israel and Iran carry out strikes on each other’s territory.

“In this dramatic scenario, which includes Israel and Palestine,” continued the Pope, “the daily suffering of the population—especially in Gaza and other territories—risks being forgotten, even as the need for adequate humanitarian aid becomes ever more urgent.”

“Today more than ever, humanity cries out and pleads for peace,” he said.

The Pope said the cry for peace “demands responsibility and reason and must not be drowned out by the roar of weapons or by rhetorical words that incite conflict.”

Pope Leo urged every member of the international community to take up their moral responsibility to “stop the tragedy of war before it becomes an irreparable abyss.”

When human dignity is at stake, he said, no conflict is distant.

“War does not solve problems,” noted the Pope. “On the contrary, it amplifies them and causes deep wounds in the history of peoples—wounds that take generations to heal. No military victory can ever compensate for a mother’s pain, a child’s fear, or a stolen future.”

In conclusion, Pope Leo XIV expressed his hope for the din of arms to fall silent.

“Let diplomacy silence the weapons!” he said. “Let nations shape their future with works of peace, not through violence and bloody conflicts!”

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Hours after the United States bombed the sites of three nuclear-enrichment facilities in Iran, Pope Leo XIV called the situation in the Middle East “alarming” and said diplomacy was the only responsible way forward.

“Every member of the international community has a moral responsibility: Stop the tragedy of war before it becomes an irreparable abyss,” the pope said June 22 after reciting the Angelus prayer with thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square.

In Washington late June 21, President Donald Trump announced that “the U.S. military carried out massive precision strikes on the three key nuclear facilities in the Iranian regime: Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan.”

“Our objective,” Trump said, “was the destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world’s number one state sponsor of terror.”

“Tonight I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success,” Trump said, adding that the facilities had been “completely and totally obliterated.” The U.S. president also threatened that if Iran did not “make peace” then “future attacks would be far greater and a lot easier.”

The U.S. bombings came 10 days after Israel began carrying out attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities and its military infrastructure, leading Iran to retaliate by firing missiles at Israel. Officials have reported that the strikes have killed at least 400 people in Iran and 24 people in Israel.

Thousands of people, including sash-wearing officials from Italian cities and provinces, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican applaud Pope Leo XIV June 22, 2025, after he led the recitation of the Angelus prayer and pleaded for peace in the Middle East. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

Addressing the crowds in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leo said people all over the world were praying and crying for peace.

“It is a cry that calls for responsibility and reason and must not be drowned out by the din of weapons,” Pope Leo said. “There is no faraway conflict when human dignity is at stake.”

In addition, the pope said, with the “dramatic scenario” of the bombing of Iran, “the daily suffering of people, especially in Gaza and other territories, risks falling into oblivion” as the attention of the world turns elsewhere.

“War does not solve problems, but rather it amplifies them and produces deep wounds in the history of people that take generations to heal,” he said. “No armed victory can compensate for the pain of mothers, the fear of children, the stolen future.”

“Let diplomacy silence the weapons,” Pope Leo said. “Let nations chart their future with works of peace, not with violence and bloody conflicts!”

At the Angelus, Leo XIV commented on the “tragic backdrop” in the Middle East a few hours after Trump announced US action against Iran. Today “humanity cries out and calls for peace. This is a cry that requires responsibility and reason,” the pope said. “There are no ‘distant’ conflicts when human dignity is at stake,” he added, urging the world not to forget the “daily suffering, especially in Gaza.”

Vatican City (AsiaNews) – This morning, after the Angelus, Pope Leo XIV reacted to the latest news, using strong words. “May diplomacy silence the weapons! May nations chart their futures with works of peace, not with violence and bloodstained conflicts!” he said, adding that the use of weapons represents a deterioration of dialogue, diplomacy, and peace, which is impossible “without true disarmament,” as Pope Francis said in his Easter message.

Pope Leo XIV talked about the “alarming news” from the Middle East as US President Donald Trump announced that the United States was intervening in Israel’s offensive against Iran. “We have successfully completed our attack on the three nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan,” the US leader wrote on Truth Social.

While the world is holding its breath, with US bases on maximum alert, Iranian missiles launched against Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, and the Pasdaran threatening “eternal consequences,” Leo said that, “Today more than ever, humanity cries out and calls for peace. This is a cry that requires responsibility and reason.”

The pontiff issued this appeal to “responsibility and reason” over a week ago, immediately after Israel’s attack on Iran overnight on 12-13 June. He reiterated it today, as the region’s stability teeters. This “cry” for peace “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,” he said in another plea from the window of the Apostolic Palace, his head bowed over his speech.

“War does not solve problems,” Leo said; instead, “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.”

Against the “tragic backdrop” that is emerging in the Middle East, with the involvement of world powers, the pope noted that the region “includes Israel and Palestine,” where “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.”

Before the Marian prayer, Leo mentioned the solemnity of Corpus Christi, which is celebrated today in many countries, and commented today’s Gospel, centred on the miracle of the loaves and fishes (Luke 9:11-17), which shows how even the “smallest” gifts of God “grow whenever they are shared.”

But, in the context of today’s solemnity, this miracle leads to an “even deeper reality. For we know that at the root of every human sharing lies a greater sharing that precedes it, namely God’s sharing with us.” Thus, “Let us think of how wonderful it is when we give a gift — even a small one, proportionate to our means — and see that it is appreciated by the recipient,” the pope said.

This applies to the Eucharist as well. “God unites himself to us by joyfully accepting what we bring, and he invites us to unite ourselves to him by likewise joyfully receiving and sharing his gift of love.” Thus, citing Saint Augustine, “just as one loaf is made from single grains collected together… so in the same way the body of Christ is made one by the harmony of charity.”

Pope Leo (Anadolu photo)

ISTANBUL – Pope Leo XIV on Sunday made an urgent appeal for peace in the Middle East, warning of the risk of uncontrollable escalation following recent US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites and Tehran’s retaliatory missile attacks on Israeli cities.

Speaking from the window of the Apostolic Palace after the Angelus prayer, the pontiff said: “We must stop the tragedy of war before it becomes an irreparable abyss,” according to a Vatican statement.

He described the situation as “alarming” and “dramatic,” cautioning that the suffering of civilians, particularly in Gaza and other conflict zones, risks being forgotten amid the escalation.

“Today more than ever, humanity cries out and pleads for peace,” he said, adding that this cry must be answered with “responsibility and reason,” rather than being “drowned out by the roar of weapons and rhetoric inciting conflict.”

The Pope warned that continued violence could lead to a point of no return.

“There are no distant wars when human dignity is at stake,” he said.

“War does not solve problems; it amplifies them and inflicts deep wounds in the history of peoples – wounds that take generations to heal.”

He emphasized that no military victory can outweigh the pain of grieving mothers, the fear in children, and the stolen futures of youth.

“Let diplomacy silence the weapons,” he urged. “Let nations chart their future through acts of peace, not violence and bloody conflict.”

He concluded by calling on the international community to act decisively: “Everyone is called to respond – especially those with responsibilities – to prevent humanity from walking a path with no return.”

Tensions in the region further escalated after US President Donald Trump announced Sunday that American forces carried out “very successful” airstrikes on nuclear sites in Ford, Natanz and Esfahan, amid growing fears of a broader conflict.

Following the US strikes, Iran called on the UN Security Council to convene an emergency meeting to condemn the attacks and hold those who violate international law accountable.

Hostilities broke out on June 13 when Israel launched airstrikes on several sites across Iran, including military and nuclear facilities, prompting Tehran to launch retaliatory strikes.

Israeli authorities said at least 25 people have been killed and hundreds injured in Iranian missile attacks since then.

Meanwhile, in Iran, 430 people have been killed and more than 3,500 wounded in the Israeli assault, according to the Iranian Health Ministry. (Anadolu)