Vatican City, Vatican City. Pope Leo on Sunday called for an immediate ceasefire in the expanding Iran war, saying “atrocious violence” had killed thousands of non-combatants and caused suffering across the Middle East.
Ceasefire appeal during Angelus prayer
Speaking at his weekly Angelus prayer in St. Peter’s Square, Leo said that for two weeks the peoples of the Middle East had been suffering the violence of war. He appealed to those responsible for the conflict to stop the fighting.
Warning against escalation and civilian toll
As the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran entered its third week, the first U.S. pope said violence would not bring the justice, stability and peace that people in the region long for. He said thousands of innocent people had been killed and many more forced to leave their homes, and expressed closeness to those who had lost loved ones in the attacks.
Concern over Lebanon
Leo said the situation in Lebanon, affected by a war between Israel and the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah, was also a cause of “great concern.” He said he hoped dialogue could support the country’s authorities in implementing lasting solutions to the crisis for the common good of the Lebanese people.
What do you think could help create conditions for dialogue and a ceasefire in the region?
