Leo, in one of the strongest peace appeals yet of his five-week papacy, told an audience in St. Peter’s Basilica he was following the situation with “great concern.”
“In such a delicate moment, I strongly wish to renew an appeal to responsibility and to reason,” said the pope.
“The commitment to building a safer world free from the nuclear threat must be pursued through respectful encounters and sincere dialogue to build a lasting peace, founded on justice, fraternity, and the common good,” he added.
“No one should ever threaten the existence of another,” stated Leo.
“It is the duty of all countries to support the cause of peace, initiating paths of reconciliation and promoting solutions that guarantee security and dignity for all.”
Israel launched a large-scale attack on Iran early on Friday, targeting commanders, military targets, nuclear sites and residential areas.
Iran, which denies that its uranium enrichment activities are part of a secret weapons programme, retaliated by launching waves of missiles at Israel, killing at least three people and injuring dozens.
