Pope Leo: US-Israel War Against Iran Cannot Be Considered a Just War

Pope Leo XIV has assessed that the war involving the United States and Israel against Iran cannot be categorised as a ‘just war’. According to him, this centuries-old concept is no longer relevant to describe the reality of modern warfare, which possesses far greater destructive power.

These statements were made to journalists during a flight from Rome to Madrid, Spain, as part of his fourth foreign visit since being elected leader of the Catholic Church. The comments follow the use of the ‘just war’ concept by US Vice President JD Vance to defend Washington’s military actions against Tehran.

“There is no just war in that situation,” stated Pope Leo. He argued that the theory of just war originated in an era when humanity could not have imagined the capacity of modern weaponry to cause large-scale destruction.

The Pope has repeatedly called for an end to wars and has urged world leaders to avoid rhetoric that could exacerbate conflict escalation. Earlier this year, he criticised statements by US President Donald Trump, who suggested that “no civilisation would be left in Iran,” calling such threats unacceptable.

That criticism prompted a response from Trump, who labelled the Pope as a weak figure regarding foreign policy matters. However, Pope Leo maintained his stance, asserting he would not be intimidated and would continue to voice his opposition to war. The debate also drew reactions in Italy, where Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned Trump’s comments towards the head of the Catholic Church as “unacceptable.”

The Pope’s latest statements reaffirm the Vatican’s consistent position of promoting conflict resolution through diplomatic channels and rejecting the use of military force as a primary solution to international disputes.