Pope Leo on Thursday condemned the killing of protesters in Iran, while reiterating his firm opposition to war and expressing concern over civilian casualties in the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel.
Speaking aboard his return flight to Rome after a four-nation Africa tour, the pope addressed reports of deadly crackdowns on anti-government demonstrators in Iran. Responding to questions during a press conference, he said “I condemn all actions that are unjust. I condemn the taking of people’s lives.”
He added “When a regime, when a country takes decisions which takes away the lives of other people unjustly, then obviously that is something that should be condemned.”
His remarks followed criticism from Donald Trump, who had accused the Catholic leader of failing to speak out strongly enough about the killings while openly criticising the US-Israel war with Iran. Trump had described the pope as “terrible” in a social media post and later questioned whether he had acknowledged the deaths of Iranian protesters.
While Pope Leo did not mention Trump directly in his response, he expanded his remarks to include the broader human toll of the war, saying: “We have seen so many innocents killed.”
He emphasised his stance against armed conflict, stating “As a pastor, I cannot be in favor of war.”
The pope revealed that he carried with him a photograph of a child killed during Israeli strikes targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon, describing the personal impact of the conflict. He said the child had been among those who welcomed him during a previous visit to the country.
Addressing the breakdown of diplomatic efforts, Pope Leo also expressed frustration over stalled negotiations between Washington and Tehran. “One day Iran says yes, the United States says no and vice versa. We don’t know where it will go,” he said.
“It has created a situation that is still chaotic … and also there is the whole population of Iran, innocent people, who are suffering because of this war,” he added.
The comments came amid reports that Iranian authorities killed thousands during anti-government protests earlier this year, described as the country’s most significant unrest since the Iranian Revolution. Human rights groups said the crackdown had continued even as the war escalated, with additional executions reported in recent days.
Beyond Iran, the pope also addressed criticism of his diplomatic engagements with countries led by long-serving rulers, including Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon.
Defending the Vatican’s approach, he said: “We don’t always make great proclamations but there’s an awful lot of work that goes on behind the scenes to promote justice.”
He added that the Holy See maintained such relationships to improve living conditions and advance human dignity, noting that its efforts were often carried out quietly but with long-term goals in mind.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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