Pope Leo slams ‘delusion of omnipotence’ stoking US-Israeli war on Iran
In his strongest rebuke yet, the first US-born Pope demands leaders stop 'idolatry of power' and negotiate peace.
Pope Leo, history's first US-born pontiff, escalated his criticism of the ongoing US-Israeli military campaign against Iran, delivering a forceful denunciation from St. Peter's Basilica. Presiding over an evening prayer service coinciding with the start of fragile US-Iran talks in Pakistan, Leo condemned the 'delusion of omnipotence' driving the conflict and demanded political leaders halt the violence. 'Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!' he declared, in remarks widely interpreted as targeting the rhetoric of US officials, including President Donald Trump, who have framed the war in terms of religious duty and American military supremacy.
While not naming the United States or Trump directly—the prayer was planned before new negotiations were announced—the pontiff's message marked a significant shift from his earlier, more muted calls for peace. His criticism intensified following Trump's threat to 'annihilate Iranian civilization,' which Leo called 'truly unacceptable.' The service was attended by the Archbishop of Tehran and a senior US diplomat, underscoring the global diplomatic stakes. This public moral challenge from a Pope to his native country's administration represents a rare and potent intervention in geopolitics, applying Vatican diplomacy to counter narratives justifying the conflict.
- Pope Leo, the first US-born pontiff, denounced the 'delusion of omnipotence' and 'idolatry of power' behind the US-Israel war on Iran.
- His strongest rebuke yet came during a St. Peter's Basilica prayer service as US-Iran talks began, urging leaders to 'stop and negotiate peace.'
- The criticism, seen as aimed at US rhetoric, marks a shift from his initial reluctance and follows Trump's 'unacceptable' threat to annihilate Iran.
Why It Matters
A rare moral challenge from a Pope to his homeland's foreign policy, amplifying global calls for diplomacy over religiously-tinged warfare.