ISLAMABAD: Pope Leo XIV on Friday condemned the ongoing conflict in Iran, saying too many innocent lives had been lost and calling on all parties, including the United States, to pursue dialogue and respect international law, according to Vatican News.

The Pope made the remarks aboard the return flight to Rome following a four-nation Apostolic Journey through Africa, speaking to journalists departing from Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.

"As a pastor, I cannot be in favor of war," he said. "I would like to encourage everyone to make efforts to seek answers that come from a culture of peace, not hatred and division."

The pontiff said he had received a letter from families of children killed on the first day of attacks in Iran. He also told reporters he carries a photo of a Muslim child in Lebanon, spotted holding a "Welcome Pope Leo" sign during the papal visit. The child was later killed in the war's final phase, as reported by Vatican News.

On the prospect of regime change in Iran, the Pope declined to take a position, saying the more pressing concern was protecting civilian lives. "It is not even clear what regime currently exists after the first days of attacks by Israel and the United States on Iran," he said.

Asked about Iran's recent execution of an opposition member, the Pope did not limit his condemnation to any single government. "I condemn all actions that are unjust. I condemn the taking of people's lives. I condemn capital punishment," he said. "Human life is to be respected — from conception to natural death."

Migration
Speaking in Spanish, the Pope addressed the migration debate ahead of his planned trip to Spain. He acknowledged a state's right to regulate its borders but said wealthier nations bear responsibility for the conditions driving emigration from the Global South.

"Africa is often seen by many as a place to extract minerals, to take its wealth for the benefit of other countries," he said, per Vatican News. He called for greater investment in African nations so people are not compelled to leave.

He added that regardless of policy, migrants remain entitled to basic dignity. "When people arrive, they are human beings and deserve the respect that belongs to every human being," he said.
Papal diplomacy

Asked whether meeting with authoritarian heads of state amounted to lending them moral legitimacy, the Pope defended the Holy See's policy of maintaining diplomatic relations across governments.

"There's an awful lot of work that goes on behind the scenes to promote justice, to promote humanitarian causes," he said.

The pontiff stated that quiet diplomacy had at times secured the release of political prisoners and addressed crises of hunger and disease, according to the Vatican News.

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Pope Leo XIV condemns Middle East conflict, calls for immediate peace talks