The pope praised the memorandum of understanding that Washington and Tehran will sign in Switzerland and urged that the negotiations lead to lasting peace
Pope Leo XIV expressed his support on Tuesday for the memorandum of understanding reached between the United States and Iran to end more than three months of conflict in the Middle East and stated his hope that the agreement will definitively close one of the most dangerous confrontations in recent years.
From his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, the pontiff celebrated the diplomatic progress and emphasized the importance of dialogue as an alternative to a new military escalation.
“Thank God, at least there is this memorandum that, they say, will be officially signed on Friday”, he stated before reporters.
Although he acknowledged that there are still pending issues to resolve, Leo XIV maintained that the negotiation represents a much more favorable path than the continuation of hostilities.
“I hope it is truly a solution, that the war has really ended and that we can move forward for the good of all”, he added.
The Vatican bets on lasting peace
The pontiff's statements come just days before the formal signing of the agreement between Washington and Tehran, scheduled for this Friday at the resort complex of Bürgenstock, Switzerland.
The memorandum will serve as a starting point for a second phase of negotiations that, according to U.S. President Donald Trump, should lead to a definitive agreement within the next 60 days.
Among the pending issues are the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the situation of the Iranian nuclear program, and the lifting of economic sanctions affecting Tehran.
In this context, Leo XIV insisted that the ultimate goal must go beyond the cessation of hostilities.
The head of the Catholic Church reiterated calls for concrete progress towards the elimination of nuclear weapons and urged work on the economic and social consequences left by the conflict.
A stance that put him at odds with Trump during the war
Support for the agreement does not change the differences that the pontiff maintained with the White House during the most intense months of the conflict.
Since the beginning of the war, Leo XIV has been one of the most critical international voices of the military strategy promoted by Washington and Israel.
Born in Chicago, the pope described Trump's threat to destroy Iranian civilization as “truly unacceptable” and repeatedly questioned the logic of military escalation.
Pope Leo XIV celebrated the memorandum between the United States and Iran
He also rejected the statements of U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who had suggested that the offensive had divine backing.
In turn, he dismissed the interpretations of Vice President JD Vance regarding the theory of “just war” and made it clear that the Vatican would continue to advocate for a diplomatic solution regardless of the position taken by Washington.
The signing will be in Switzerland and will open a new stage of negotiations
The ceremony planned for this weekend in Switzerland will formally mark the end of a war that began on February 28 and profoundly altered the regional balance.
According to the parties involved, the agreement includes the continuation of the cessation of hostilities, the gradual reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and the initiation of a new round of negotiations on strategic issues.
For the Vatican, the challenge now will be to transform the ceasefire into lasting peace.
For this reason, Leo XIV avoided presenting the memorandum as a definitive solution and emphasized that there are still numerous challenges to resolve.
Meloni supported the pope's position
The pontiff's stance also had political repercussions in Europe.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni publicly supported the pope's calls to consolidate peace in the Middle East, a position that contrasted with the criticisms Trump had directed at the Vatican during the most tense moments of the conflict.
The differences between the two leaders were addressed during a brief meeting held on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France.
Meanwhile, the Vatican continues to bet on diplomacy as the only way to avoid a new regional escalation and consolidate the negotiation process that will formally begin after the signing of the agreement in Switzerland.
