Iran crisis: Pope is following situation with concern

Source: Vatican News

The escalation of the dispute between Washington and Tehran following the killing of one of the key figures of the Iranian establishment, General Qassem Soleimani, in a US air attack, has raised apprehension in the Holy See. Pope Francis is said to be following the situation and praying for peace.

The Apostolic Nuncio to Iran, Archbishop Leo Boccardi, spoke to Vatican News by telephone from Teheran. He said the Pope has been apprised of the entire situation after the killing of General Solemaini. All this, he said, creates concern and demonstrates how difficult it is to build and believe in peace. Constructive politics, he said, is at the service of peace to which the entire international community must be committed, not only in the Middle East, but in the whole world as well.

Archbishop Boccardi said there is a great deal of tension in Iran at the moment. Disbelief was followed by demonstrations, provoking violence, pain and protests. He said all parties need to negotiate and need "to believe in dialogue, knowing from what history has always taught, that war and weapons" do not resolve the problems afflicting the world. "We must believe in negotiation," he reiterated.

"Conflict must be rejected", the Nuncio stated, so that the "weapons of justice and good will" can be taken up instead. This requires that effort be made to "bring the situation in the Middle East to the attention of the international community", he said. He concluded citing an important rule of diplomacy: Pacta sunt servanda (agreements must be kept). "Everyone must respect the rules of law."