Pope Leo Responds to US-Iran Ceasefire
Leo XIV has welcomed the two-week ceasefire and potential agreement of a peace plan between the US and Iran, whilst renewing his call for Catholics to join in praying for peace this coming Saturday.
The Pope has welcomed the tentative ceasefire in the Middle East this morning, after issuing a direct and strident appeal for peace last night, amid growing tensions at the time of increased global conflict.
“In the wake of these past few hours of great tension in the Middle East and throughout the world, I welcome with satisfaction—and as a sign of deep hope—the announcement of an immediate two-week ceasefire,” Leo declared at the end of Wednesday’s General Audience. “Only by returning to the negotiating table can we bring the war to an end,” he added.
The Pope continued:
“I urge you to accompany this time of delicate diplomatic work with prayer, hoping that a willingness to engage in dialogue may become the means to resolve other situations of conflict around the world.
I renew my invitation to everyone to join me in the Prayer Vigil for Peace that we will celebrate here in St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday, April 11.”
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News of the two-week truce between Iran and the US came less than two hours before President Donald Trump’s hard deadline on Tuesday night, after which point Trump had threatened a “whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran did not open the critical Strait of Hormuz.
Trump’s declaration was met with widespread concern from many, including Leo and the president of the US bishops conference. Exiting Castel Gandolfo last night prior to any news of the agreed upon truce, Leo urged voters to contact their representatives to prevent Trump from escalating the conflict.
“This is truly not acceptable,” Leo said of Trump’s threatened “civilization” wide destruction. “Here there are certainly questions of international law, but even more than this a question of morality for the good of people.”
“Attacks on civilian infrastructure are against international law, but are also a sign of the hatred and division that we are capable of,” he added.
Shortly before that, USCCB president Archbishop Paul Coakley also condemned Trump’s threatened attack, saying “the threat of destroying a whole civilization and the intentional targeting of civilian infrastructure cannot be morally justified.”
Critics of Leo have accused him of not learning how Trump tends to negotiate on the international sphere, suggesting that Trump’s words were bravado intended to pressure Iran. However, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated after the truce was announced that the threat of such devastation was a key part of Iran agreeing to the two-week truce.
The ten-point peace plan issued by Iran, which must now be agreed upon by both the US and Iran, contains numerous elements in which disagreement may be found. One such is the stipulation that Israeli strikes in Lebanon come to an end, but Israel has already stated this morning it does not consider Lebanon part of the two-week ceasefire deal.
The plan also includes the new arrangement of Iran and Oman being able to charge a $2 million fee for every shipping vessel that passes through the Strait of Hormuz.
Writing on Truth Social last night, President Trump noted that his pause on further attacks against Iran were subject to the Strait of Hormuz being completely, immediately and safely open for business.
Trump described the peace plan as “a workable basis on which to negotiate,” and negotiations are believed to properly begin later this week. “Almost all of the various points of past contention have been agreed to between the United States and Iran, but a two week period will allow the Agreement to be finalized and consummated,” he wrote.
Instability in the region is likely to continue, however, especially if any side deems the other to be acting in bad faith. Should Israel continue with strikes against Lebanon – as indeed they are currently doing at the time of publication – then Iran may likely consider that the terms of the peace plan are being ignored.
Meanwhile Leo XIV has renewed his call for Catholics to pray for peace this coming Saturday, inviting all to attend a prayer vigil he is leading in the Vatican at 6pm local time. Over the Easter weekend, Leo made appeals for peace a key factor of his homilies and addresses, including during the Urbi et Orbi on Easter Sunday.
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