Pope Leo Calls Trump’s Iran Threat “Truly Unacceptable”
Prior to the establishment of a US-Iran ceasefire on Tuesday evening, Donald Trump issued a dire warning to eradicate “a whole civilization.” This severe rhetoric incensed Pope Leo XIV, who subsequently delivered a solemn rebuke directed at the U.S. President.
The conflict in Iran had raged for over a month before diplomatic breakthroughs finally occurred on Tuesday night. Moments before Trump’s imposed deadline, both the United States and Iran chose a more rational path, successfully negotiating a two-week truce.
In the aftermath, both nations declared a triumphant outcome. President Trump announced his acceptance of the pause in hostilities, heavily conditioned upon Iran’s pledge to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He characterized the 10-point plan presented by Iran as a viable starting point for further discussions.
Furthermore, the president anticipated that a conclusive pact would be finalized within the upcoming fortnight. He hailed the temporary truce as an “absolute and utter triumph,” adding that the United States would assist in alleviating the maritime congestion currently plaguing the Strait of Hormuz.
Just one day earlier, Trump had utilized Truth Social to issue a stark ultimatum threatening the total destruction of Iranian civilization. This declaration captured global attention, immediately heightening anxieties over potential military escalation and the looming threat of nuclear conflict.
In his post, Donald Trump warned that an entire civilization was on the brink of dying that very night, never to return. He wrote, “I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will,” before suggesting that with “Complete and Total Regime Change” guided by wiser, less radical leadership, there was a possibility for something “revolutionarily wonderful” to occur, adding, “WHO KNOWS?”
Pope Leo breaks the silence on Donald Trump’s latest Iran threat
Following the provocative statements, a diverse coalition of figures voiced their opposition to Donald Trump. This included Democratic and Republican politicians, prominent former MAGA advocates like Marjorie Taylor Greene and influencer Alex Jones, as well as international voices like Nigel Farage and former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson.
Crucially, this pushback also included Pope Leo XIV, the head of the Catholic Church. On Tuesday, prior to the finalization of the truce, the pontiff fiercely criticized Trump’s willingness to target Iranian civilian infrastructure, imploring world leaders to pursue a non-violent resolution.
Speaking to Politico while departing his residence in Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo reiterated the sentiments from his Sunday ‘Urbi et Orbi’ address. He called upon all individuals of goodwill to relentlessly pursue peace over violence, specifically denouncing the ongoing conflict as an unjust war that merely escalates tensions without offering real solutions.
The American-born pontiff added that the current trajectory in the Middle East only serves to fuel animosity, pleading with political figures to return to the negotiating table to broker a peaceful settlement.
“Tell them to work for peace”
Moreover, Pope Leo issued a stark reminder to Donald Trump that launching military strikes against civilian infrastructure constitutes a direct violation of international law.
The Pope urged the world to keep in mind the vulnerable—the innocent youth, the elderly, and the ailing—who have already become, or will soon be, casualties of the relentless hostilities. He appealed to citizens worldwide to pressure their political officials, urging them to “tell them to work for peace and to reject war.”
As of now, Donald Trump has not issued any response to the statements made by Pope Leo.
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