VATICAN CITY, April 8 (Reuters) - Pope Leo said on Wednesday that he welcomed the announcement of a two-week ceasefire in the Iran war with "great satisfaction". The pope, who has emerged as an
Pope Leo praises Iran war ceasefire after criticizing Trump threat
Pope Leo's Response to Iran War and U.S. Threats
By Joshua McElwee
Ceasefire Praised by Pope Leo
VATICAN CITY, April 8 (Reuters) - Pope Leo on Wednesday praised the two-week ceasefire in the Iran war, hours after calling U.S. President Donald Trump's threat against the population of Iran "unacceptable".
The pope, who has emerged as an outspoken critic of the war in recent weeks, said he welcomed the announcement of the ceasefire with satisfaction and urged continued negotiation to bring a full end to the regional conflict.
Pope Leo's Weekly Audience
"In light of these past hours of great tension for the Middle East and for the whole world, I welcome with satisfaction... the announcement of an immediate two-week truce," Leo, the first U.S. pope, said in his weekly audience.
"Only through a return to negotiation can an end to the war be achieved," he said.
Pope Leo's Criticism of U.S. Actions
Leo, who is known for choosing his words carefully, has been ramping up his criticism of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.
Reaction to President Trump's Threat
After Trump threatened Iran on Tuesday that "a whole civilization will die tonight" if the country did not meet U.S. demands for a truce, Leo told journalists that threat was "truly unacceptable".
Significance of Pope Leo's Statement
It is rare for the pope, who leads 1.4 billion Catholics around the world, to respond directly to a world leader.
(Reporting by Joshua McElwee, editing by Giulia Segreti and Toby Chopra)
