Pope Leo XIV on Sunday called for dialogue regarding developments in Iran and Syria and urged intensified efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine.
Performing the traditional Sunday prayer from the window overlooking St. Peter's Basilica, the pope later made remarks on international developments.
Pope Leo said he has been reflecting on recent events in the Middle East, particularly in Iran and Syria.
He stated that "persistent tensions are causing the deaths of many people," and he hopes that "dialogue and peace will be cultivated with patience, in pursuit of the common ground."
Referring to the Russia-Ukraine war, the pope said that recent attacks "are particularly serious, targeting mainly energy infrastructure, while the cold intensifies, hitting the civilian population hard."
"I pray for those who are suffering, and I renew my call for an end to violence and for intensified efforts to achieve peace," the pope said.
Iran has been rocked by protests since Dec. 28 at Tehran's Grand Bazaar because of the sharp depreciation of the Iranian rial and worsening economic conditions. Demonstrations later spread to several cities.
There are no official estimates on casualties, but the US-based rights group HRANA put the toll at 116, with more than 2,600 detained.
In Syria since Tuesday, the YPG/SDF terror group had shelled residential neighborhoods, civilian facilities, and Syrian Army positions in Aleppo, killing 23 people, wounding more than 100, and displacing about 165,000 residents from the Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsoud districts, according to official figures.
