Pope Leo has lashed out against the war in Iran several times. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has responded to the American-born pope, criticizing him for intervening in politics. Now, the leader of the Catholic Church has taken a new swipe at the president over the conflict in Iran.
Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV have been feuding over the past week or two. Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance has also entered the discussion, warning the Holy Father last week about being too vocal on “matters of theology.”
As recently as last Thursday, Trump said he had no plans to meet with the Holy Father and issued a warning over Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
“It’s very important that the Pope understands… Iran killed 42,000 people that were totally unarmed. They were protesters. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. If they did… every single country in the world would be in trouble,” Trump said.
He added that he has “nothing against the pope,” but that “I have to do what’s right.”
“I’m not fighting with him. The pope made a statement. He says Iran can have a nuclear weapon. I say Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump continued.
Pope Leo & Donald Trump
The claim made by Donald Trump that Pope Leo has said Iran can have nuclear weapons is not true. In fact, the Holy Father has repeatedly denounced nuclear weapons and called on countries to abandon them.
“The situation in Iran and Israel has deteriorated gravely, and in such a delicate moment, I would like to strongly renew an appeal to responsibility and reason,” Pope Leo said in June last year. “The commitment to creating a safer world, free from the nuclear threat, should be pursued through respectful encounter and sincere dialogue, to build a lasting peace based on justice, fraternity and the common good.”
In recent weeks, Pope Leo has been on a tour in Africa, visiting Algeria, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, and Cameroon. It was his first tour outside Italy since becoming leader of the Catholic Church.
After his pastoral visit, while on the plane back to the Vatican, the Holy Father once again spoke about the war in Iran, taking a swipe at Donald Trump.
“One day Iran says ‘yes,’ the United States says ‘no,’ and vice versa,” Leo told reporters, per NBC. “We don’t know where this is going to lead, which has created again this chaotic situation, critical for the world economy.”
Pope Leo takes new swipe at Trump
Leo broke his silence as the fragile ceasefire holding since April 8 faces renewed pressure, this time over rising tensions in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
On Thursday, Trump said the U.S. had “total control over the Strait of Hormuz,” adding that “Iran is having a very hard time figuring out who their leader is.”
Later, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X that “Iran’s state institutions continue to act with unity, purpose, and discipline.”
On the plane, Pope Leo issued another warning to those involved in the conflict not to forget civilians.
“There is also the entire population of Iran, of innocent people who are suffering because of this war,” the Holy Father said, adding that he condemns capital punishment and “the taking of people’s lives.”
“So when a regime, when a country, takes decisions which take away the lives of other people unjustly, then obviously that is something that should be condemned,” Pope Leo added.
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