During His catechesis at the Jub from this Saturdayon the occasion of the jubilee of sport, Pope Leo XIV referred to the escalation of violence between Israel and Iran in recent days, calling for “responsibility and reason.”
From the Basilica of San Pedro, where he met thousands of pilgrim athletes from all over the world, the Holy Father said that the news from the Middle East is “very worrying” because “the situation in Iran and Israel has seriously deteriorated.”
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Leo XIV renewed “strongly” his repeated call to peace, which charge special relevance in this delicate moment for the region and the entire world.
“The commitment to build a safer world, free from the nuclear threat, must be pursued through respectful encounters and a sincere dialogue, to build a lasting peace, founded on justice, fraternity and the common good,” said the Pope.
“No one should ever threaten the existence of another. It is the duty of all countries to support the cause of peace, starting paths of reconciliation and promoting solutions that guarantee the security and dignity of all,” he added.
What is happening in Iran and Israel?
In the early hours of this Friday, Israel launched a series of bombings against nuclear and military objectives inside Iran, within the framework of what the Israeli government baptized how the operation Rising Lion (Nascent lion). In Tehran, several buildings were achieved by missiles.
In a televised messageIsrael’s Prime Minister Benjamín Netanyahu said his government had acted to “reverse the Iranian threat to Israel’s own survival” and said the operation would last the necessary time “to eliminate these threats.”
Some of Iran’s most important men, in the military and nuclear field, were killed by the bombings. Among them, the Hossein Salami and Mohammad Bagheri division generals.
In retaliation, the Iranian government informed having launched “Hundreds of ballistic missiles” Against Israel on Friday morning, which described as the beginning of his “overwhelming response.”
“A few moments ago, with the launch of hundreds of various ballistic missiles to the occupied territories, the operation of decisive response to the wild attack of the Zionist regime has begun,” said Iraní’s official news agency, Irna.
US President Donald Trump, on the other hand, urged Iran to accept a new nuclear agreement “before nothing is left”:
“Two months ago I would give Iran an ultimatum of 60 days to ‘get to an agreement.’ They should have done it! Today is 61. I told them what they had to do, but they couldn’t fulfill it. Now maybe they have a second chance!” Trump wrote Trump en Truth Social.
Andrés Henríquez
I was born in Caracas in 1996. I am a writer for ACI Press and correspondent of EWTN since 2023. Since then, I cover events of the Catholic Church in Venezuela, Latin America and the world. I have more than 6 years of experience in bilingual media. In addition, in Venezuela I have worked from various fields for freedom and respect for fundamental rights in the country. I am a member of the Regnum Christi Federation since 2014.