Pope Leo XIV urges leaders of Iran and Israel to seek peaceful resolution through open dialogue

Pope Leo XIV on Saturday called on the leaders of Iran and Israel to open up a dialogue to de-escalate tensions between the two countries. 

“No one should ever threaten another’s existence,” he said in St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican News reported. 

He said the situation in the two countries has “seriously deteriorated," and it’s the duty of all countries to pursue peace and reconciliation. 

A world “free from the nuclear threat,” the Pope said, “must be pursued through respectful encounters and sincere dialogue, in order to build a lasting peace founded on justice, fraternity, and the common good.”