Pope Leo XIV expressed “great concern” on June 14 as the conflict between Israel and Iran deteriorated seriously following Israeli airstrikes on Iran Thursday evening, Iran’s retaliatory drone and missile barrage Friday, and continued armed exchanges between the two sides over the next 24 hours.
“In such a delicate moment, I strongly wish to renew an appeal to responsibility and to reason,” the pope said, calling the international community to prevent the situation from developing into a wider war. “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 U.S.-born pope called for a “commitment to build a world that is safer and free from the nuclear threat” through “respectful encounter and sincere dialogue, in order to build lasting peace, founded on justice, fraternity and the common good.”
His reference to the “nuclear threat” was significant because Israel had carried out a long-planned attack on an Iranian nuclear enrichment facility at Natanz, which killed several Iranian nuclear scientists—something it has also done in past years.
Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, ordered the attack, which he has been threatening for decades, alleging that Iran was close to reaching the point where it would have the possibility of developing a nuclear bomb, even though Iran has consistently denied that intention.
Mr. Netanyahu, his partners in government and many in Israel view a nuclear-armed Iran as an existential threat to the country—despite the fact that Israel is the only country in the Middle East known to possess nuclear weapons, said to have first acquired them in the late 1960s. Israel is one of nine nuclear-armed states, along with the United States, Russia, France, China, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, India and North Korea.
The Israeli attack came a day after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) passed a resolution—approved by 19 votes in favor, 3 against, and 11 abstentions—declaring Iran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in 20 years, and indicating that the matter could be referred to the UN Security Council.
“The situation in Iran is deeply concerning. Nuclear facilities must never be attacked, said the IAEA Rafael Grossi, the director genral of the IAEA. “Dialogue and diplomacy are the only way forward—for Iran, for Israel, the entire region, and the international community.” Mr Grossi added, “I’m ready to travel to Iran at the earliest to assess the situation and ensure safety, security and non-proliferation.”
“No one should ever threaten the existence of the other,” Pope Leo said, in what appeared to be a reference to repeated remarks by Iranian leaders calling for the annihilation of Israel.
Israel also attacked bases belonging to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and killed several of Iran’s top military commanders—something it has also done in the past. That evening, in a televised address to the nation, Prime Minister Netanyahu called for regime change in Iran.
Mr. Netanyahu ordered the attack on Iran a day after the U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The resolution also strongly condemned the use of starvation as a weapon of war, demanded a full lifting of the Israeli blockade on humanitarian aid, and insisted on the protection of civilians under international law. It passed with 149 votes in favor, 12 against, and 19 abstentions. Among those voting against were the United States and Israel, joined by Argentina, Hungary and Paraguay, among others.
The pope’s appeal came at the conclusion of a long-planned celebration—the Jubilee of Sports—held at the Vatican on Saturday, June 14. Even as the church welcomed athletes and sports ministers from around the world, Pope Leo chose to end his public address with a forceful warning about the dangers of escalating war:
Even in these days, in fact, there is news that causes great concern. The situation in Iran and Israel has seriously deteriorated, and at such a delicate moment I would like to renew my strong appeal to responsibility and reason. The commitment to build a world that is safer and free from the nuclear threat must be pursued through respectful encounter and sincere dialogue, in order to build lasting peace, founded on justice, fraternity and the common good. No one should ever threaten the existence of the other. 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.
