Pope Leo hopes US-Iran peace deal will be definite end to war – Chicago Tribune

Pope Leo XIV welcomed an agreement between Iran and the US to reach a peace deal, expressing hope it will provide a definitive end to the war. “There are still several points to be settled, but it’s always better to do so through dialogue and negotiation rather than returning to a state of war,” the pontiff said Tuesday, addressing reporters from his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, near Rome. The US and Iran are preparing to formally sign an interim peace deal in Switzerland on Friday. Still, questions remain on how quickly the Strait of Hormuz will be reopened. Iran will reopen the Strait of Hormuz and can sell oil freely under deal with the US, officials say Pope Leo hopes that after the signing, “we can move forward for the greater good to eliminate nuclear weapons, to seek the well-being of all peoples, and to find ways to resolve the economic and social problems that have arisen as a result of this.” Since his election a year ago, the pontiff has repeatedly voiced concerns about the increase in global conflicts, from Russia’s continuing war on Ukraine to the US’s Iran war. His stance has drawn criticism from US President Donald Trump and support from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The rift between the two leaders over the pope’s stance on the war was settled on the sidelines of the G7 in Evian, France, during a brief meeting this week. Pope Leo has said that Trump’s threat to destroy Iranian civilization was “truly unacceptable,” disputed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s claims that God supports the US offensive, and Vice President JD Vance’s theories of “just war.” The Chicago-born pontiff has also said he’ll continue to argue for peace regardless of what the US president says.