US-Israeli military aggression against Iran 'not a just war': Pope Leo
Pope Leo XIV says the military aggression by the United States and Israel against Iran was "not a just war", insisting that the centuries-old doctrine does not fit the realities of modern warfare.
The pope made the remarks during a flight from Rome to Madrid on Saturday, marking the fourth international trip of his pontificate, when asked by journalists whether the conflict with Iran could be regarded as a "just war" after US Vice President JD Vance cited the doctrine in defense of Washington's military actions against Tehran.
“There is no just war there,” Pope Leo said.
“The problem is that the just war theory comes from centuries ago, from a time when people could not imagine the weapons and destructive capacities that exist today,” he added.
The pontiff’s comments come amid tensions with President Donald Trump over the US and Israeli-imposed war on Iran.
Since the start of the war, Pope Leo has repeatedly called for an end to the aggression, warning against rhetoric that could contribute to further escalation.
Back in April, he criticized Trump’s warning that “there will be no civilization left in Iran,” describing the statement as “truly unacceptable.”
Trump later responded by calling the pope “weak and terrible on foreign policy,” remarks that sparked criticism in Italy and drew support for the Vatican leader from several political figures.
Pope Leo dismissed the criticism, saying he was not intimidated and would continue to speak out against war and violence.
The exchange prompted reactions from Italian officials, including Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who described Trump’s comments about the pope as “unacceptable.”
On February 28, the United States and Israel initiated an unprovoked war against Iran with the assassination of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several high-ranking military commanders.
In response, the Iranian Armed Forces carried out 100 waves of counterattacks over 40 days, targeting US and Israeli military assets, which resulted in significant damage.
A Pakistani-mediated two-week ceasefire was brokered on April 8. However, subsequent talks in Islamabad failed to produce an agreement, with Iranian negotiators citing deep mistrust regarding Washington’s willingness to honor its commitments.
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