Or father Leo XIV called urgently this Sunday to “contain the spiral of violence” in the Middle East and Iran “before it turns into an irreparable turmoil”, and appealed to the “moral responsibility” of the powers involved in the crisis.
“I follow with deep concern everything that is happening in the Middle East and Iran in these dramatic hours. Stability and peace are not built with reciprocal threats or with weapons that sow destruction, pain and death”, said the pontiff from the window of the Apostolic Palace after the Angelus.
Stability, he highlighted, “can only” be built “through reasonable, authentic and responsible dialogue”.
Therefore, he appealed to the countries involved in this crisis, without expressly naming them, to adopt the “moral responsibility” to end the war escalation.
“Faced with the possibility of a tragedy of enormous proportions, I address a fervent appeal to the parties involved to assume the moral responsibility of containing the spiral of violence before it turns into an irreparable turmoil,” he said, provoking applause from the faithful listening to him from St. Peter’s Square.
And he added: “May diplomacy find its role and promote the good of peoples who yearn for a peaceful coexistence based on justice”, and then ask for prayers for peace.
Ayatollah’s death
The pontiff’s appeal comes just one day after the attack with which the United States and Israel seek to overthrow the Iranian regime and which resulted in the death, among others, of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after 36 years in power of the Islamic Republic.
From Tehran, the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijaniwarned that the country will respond to the aggressors with a forcefulness “never before experienced”.
For his part, American President Donald Trump warned that the US will attack Iran with “force never seen before” if the country carries out its threat to respond to the offensive to avenge the murdered leader.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IGRG) announced attacks against 27 US military bases in the Middle East and targets Israel in revenge for the death of the Iranian supreme leader.
Furthermore, the Persian nation attacked United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Iraqi Kurdistanamong others, which are allies of the United States and where the Western power has military bases.
After the fall of Khamenei, an interim council was appointed to govern the Persian nation on a transitional basis, composed of its president, Masud Pezeshkian; for the Ayatollah Alireza Arafi and by the head of the Iranian Judiciary, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei.
SEE ALSO:
- Iran’s president says Khamenei’s assassination is an “open declaration of war”
- Iran announces interim supreme leader who will lead process to replace Khamenei
