Pope Leo XIV, head of the Vatican City State, on Saturday described military actions waged by the United States and Israel against Iran as "unjust." This declaration came during his remarks to journalists aboard his plane on the journey from
Rome to Madrid, as part of an official visit. According to the Italian news agency "ANSA," a journalist reminded the Pope that U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance had invoked the "just war" theory to defend American military operations against Tehran, asking
if the conflict against Iran could be considered just. Pope Leo XIV responded by stating: "I believe this matter has been expressed quite clearly before. There is no just war." He elaborated: "The problem lies in the fact that the theory
of just war dates back centuries, to a time when people could not imagine the weapons and destructive capabilities humans possess today." Earlier on Saturday, Pope Leo XIV commenced his visit to Spain, scheduled to continue until next Friday. The Pope
has recently faced criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump. He is expected to deliver messages of peace concerning the Middle East in the Spanish Parliament, aligning with the Spanish government's policy, which officially recognizes the State of Palestine, imposes sanctions
on Israel, and insists on a two-state solution. On April 12th, the Pope had called for an end to the U.S.-Israeli conflict against Iran. Pope Leo XIV also criticized the U.S. President, declaring: "Even the holy name of God, the God
of life, is dragged into speeches of death. Enough of self-worship and money, enough of displaying power, enough of war." On the same day, Trump launched a sharp attack on the Vatican Pope, alleging he is "lenient on crime," "catastrophic in
foreign policy," and "harmful to the Catholic Church," also accusing him of accepting Iran's possession of nuclear weapons. In response to Trump's criticisms, the Pope expressed his rejection of violence, wars, injustice, and lies on April 14th, affirming that "the
heart of the Lord is not with the wicked, nor the tyrannical, nor the arrogant."
