Pope Leo XIV has doubled down on his criticism of war rhetoric, rejecting attacks from US President Donald Trump and reaffirming his call for peace, as Iran leaders rallied behind the pontiff amid the geopolitical row in West Asia.
Speaking on Tuesday, Leo made clear he would not dilute his message, insisting that the Church’s position was rooted in moral teaching rather than politics, while condemning what he called “neoclassical tendencies” shaping global conflicts.
"God desires peace for every nation, a peace that is not merely an absence of conflict but one that is an expression of justice and dignity," Leo told a crowd of several thousand people at the monument to Algeria's martyrs.
Leo visited the country's Great Mosque and stood silently with his hands clasped in front of him, as if in prayer. He thanked the mosque rector for receiving him in this "divine space, space of God" that is also a study centre.
At a later meeting with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and other government authorities, Leo praised Algerians for their solidarity and respect for one another, which he said provided an important perspective today "on the global balance of power."
"Today, this is more urgent than ever in the face of continuous violations of international law and neocolonial tendencies,"
The Pope is currently in Algeria, where he is seeking to promote Christian-Muslim coexistence in the majority Muslim nation at a time of heightened global tensions, while also honouring Saint Augustine, whose legacy has deeply influenced his religious spirituality.
On Monday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned Trump’s remarks about the pontiff, including a controversial AI-generated image depicting the US leader as a Jesus-like figure, calling it an unacceptable insult.
“On behalf of the great nation of Iran, I condemn the insult… the desecration of Jesus… is unacceptable to any free person,” Pezeshkian said. In a post on X, he wrote: “Your Excellency Pope Leo XIV, on behalf of the great nation of Iran, I condemn the insult to Your Excellency and declare that the desecration of Jesus (peace be upon him), the Prophet of peace and brotherhood, is unacceptable to any free person.”
Pezeshkian went on to thank the Pope in the same message, adding: “I wish glory for you from Allah.”
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei also praised Leo’s stance against war and his invocation of the Gospel message of peace, saying the Pope’s words stood in contrast to “the clamour of warlords and aggressors” dominating the global stage.
While the Holy See has not responded to Tehran’s statements, the parallel criticism of Trump from both Iran and the Vatican marks a notable, if measured, convergence.
Diplomatic relations between the two sides date back to 1954, though they have largely remained restrained and formal.
“To put my message on the same plane as what the president has attempted to do here, I think is not understanding what the message of the Gospel is,” Leo told Associated Press aboard the papal plane en route Algeria on Monday. “And I’m sorry to hear that, but I will continue on what I believe is the mission of the church in the world today.”
The remarks come as the feud between Washington and the Vatican deepens over the US-Israeli war with Iran, with Trump accusing the Pope of being “weak” and dismissing calls to apologise for his comments.
The US president has argued that Leo should not be intervening in political matters.
Leo had earlier called threats against the Iranian population “truly unacceptable”, warning against the targeting of civilians and stressing the moral and legal limits of warfare in an volatile global environment.
On April 9, Vatican officials briefed The Free Press about what was called a “bitter lecture”, in which a senior Pentagon staff member reportedly told Cardinal Cristophe Pierre that the United States has the military power to do “whatever it wants” and that Pope Leo “better take its side”.
