Threat against all Iranians ‘truly unacceptable,’ Pope says

Pope Leo delivered a sharp condemnation Tuesday of US President Donald Trump’s threat to annihilate Iranian civilian infrastructure, calling the warning against the entire Iranian people “truly unacceptable.” Speaking to journalists as he left his residence in Castel Gandolfo for the Vatican, the Pope said: “Today, as we all know, there has also been this threat against the entire people of Iran. And this is truly unacceptable.” Trump had earlier threatened to bomb power stations and bridges across Iran if Tehran failed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and reach an agreement by Tuesday night.

Moral imperative beyond international law

The Pope framed his objection not only as a legal concern but as a moral imperative. “There are certainly issues of international law here, but even more, it is a moral question concerning the good of the people as a whole,” he said. Leo pointed to the broader context of global instability, including an worldwide economic and energy crisis, and a highly unstable Middle East that “is only provoking more hatred throughout the world.” He added: “Let’s remember, especially, the innocent: children, the elderly, the sick, so many people who have already become, or will become, victims of this continued warfare. Attacks on civilian infrastructure are against international law, and a sign of the hatred, division, and destruction that the human being is capable of.”

Call to action for citizens worldwide

The Pontiff urged citizens of all countries involved to contact their political leaders and representatives to demand peace. “I would invite the citizens of all the countries involved… to contact the authorities — political leaders, congressmen — to ask them, to tell them, to work for peace and to reject war and violence,” he said. The US-Israeli offensive on Iran since February 28 has killed more than 1,400 people, including former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. For Türkiye, a nation with a majority Muslim population that also respects Christian holy sites and maintains dialogue with the Vatican, the Pope’s moral clarity reinforces Ankara’s own calls for de-escalation and the protection of civilians under international law.