Pope Leo XIV calls President Trump's threat to destroy Iranian civilization "truly unacceptable"

Pope Leo XIV said Tuesday that President Trump's warning that a "whole civilization will die" if Iran does not meet his deadline to open the Strait of Hormuz was "truly unacceptable."

In some of his strongest comments yet against the war, Leo said any attacks on civilian infrastructure in Iran would violate international law, and urged Americans and other people of good will to contact their political leaders and congressional representatives to demand they reject war and work for peace.

"Today, as we all know, there was this threat against all the people of Iran. This is truly unacceptable," he said as he left his country house in Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome.

Mr. Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Tuesday that "a whole civilization will die tonight" unless a deal is reached to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, otherwise he will order attacks to destroy all of Iran's power plants and bridges. He set his deadline for 8 p.m. ET.  

Leo recalled his Easter appeal for peace and to reject war "especially a war which many people have said is an unjust war, which is continuing to escalate, and which is not resolving anything."

He invited all people of good will to contact their political leaders and congressional representatives to remind them that attacks on civilian infrastructure are "against international law" and also are a "sign of the hatred, the division, the destruction human beings are capable of, and we all want to work for peace."