ROME, Italy — Pope Leo XIV has issued an urgent appeal for peace in the Middle East following the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a military strike on Saturday, February 28, 2026.
Addressing the international community, the Pope stressed that stability cannot be achieved through threats or armed conflict. “Stability and peace are not achieved through mutual threats, nor through the use of weapons, which sow destruction, suffering, and death, but only through reasonable, sincere, and responsible dialogue,” he said.
He called for all parties to assume moral responsibility and halt the escalation of violence. “I make a heartfelt appeal to all the parties involved to assume the moral responsibility of halting the spiral of violence before it becomes an unbridgeable chasm,” Pope Leo added.
The appeal comes amid heightened tensions across the region following Operation Epic Fury, as the United States termed it, and Roar of the Lion, Israel’s codename for the strike. The coordinated attack targeted Khamenei’s office at the Beit Rahbari compound in Tehran, killing him along with several senior Iranian leaders.
The assault employed bunker-buster munitions and simultaneously hit Iran’s political leadership, military infrastructure, and nuclear facilities.
Reports indicate that over 200 people were killed and hundreds injured, including senior commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and members of Khamenei’s family.
In retaliation, Iran launched hundreds of ballistic missiles and drone strikes against Israel and U.S. bases across the Gulf, including sites in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain. The attacks have raised fears of a broader regional conflict, prompting urgent calls for international mediation.
The Pope’s intervention highlights the moral dimension of international diplomacy and the urgent need for restraint. His statements align with previous Vatican efforts to encourage peaceful resolution in global conflicts, emphasizing dialogue over military retaliation.
As world leaders react to the unfolding crisis, the international community faces mounting pressure to mediate and contain a conflict that could have far-reaching consequences for global security.
