JAKARTA - Pope Leo XIV called for an end to the war in Iran and urged world leaders to prioritize dialogue over military action.
Speaking at a joint prayer in St. Peter's Basilica on Saturday (11/4), the Pope said, "Enough with the worship of self and money! Enough with showing off power! Enough with war!"
"True strength is shown by serving life," he added as quoted by Antara.
The pope did not mention any specific leader directly, but criticized what he called "the pride of some adults," referring to the humanitarian impact of the conflict.
"I receive a lot of letters from children in conflict zones... Let's listen to the voices of children!" he said.
The statement follows Pope Leo XIV's comments some time ago that the warning that "the whole civilization will die" if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, as something that is "absolutely unacceptable."
Pope Leo also called on leaders to engage in negotiations to end the conflict.
"We call on them, stop! This is the time for peace! Sit down at the table of dialogue and mediation," he said, while reminding leaders to avoid decisions "that plan for rearmament and lethal action."
The United States (US) and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran on February 28, which in recent weeks has killed more than 3,000 people, including then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, until a ceasefire was finally reached with Pakistan's mediation this week.
Tehran retaliated with an AS-Israeli raid by launching drones and missiles targeting Israel, as well as Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, as a form of self-defense, as well as limiting the movement of ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
The US and Iran also held talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Saturday (11/4) to permanently end the war, but have not reached an agreement.
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