Pope Leo XIV has called for an end to the “spiral of violence” in the Middle East, after the US and Israel began an attack on Iran that prompted retaliatory strikes, AFP reports.

“Faced with the possibility of a tragedy of enormous proportions, I appeal to the parties involved to assume the moral responsibility to stop the spiral of violence before it becomes an irreparable chasm,” the pope told a crowd of faithful in St Peter’s Square.

Pope Leo XIV leads the Angelus prayer from the window of the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican on March 1, 2026. — Reuters
Pope Leo XIV leads the Angelus prayer from the window of the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican on March 1, 2026. — Reuters

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