With the world waiting for Iran’s retaliation following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, urged the new Iranian president on Monday not to escalate the conflict in the Middle East.
On Monday morning, Cardinal Parolin had a telephone conversation with Masoud Pezeshkian, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
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In a statement to journalists, the director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, said that Cardinal Parolin congratulated the new president on the start of his term of office, adding that they discussed issues of common interest.
Cardinal Parolin expressed the Holy See’s deep concern about what is happening in the Middle East, reiterating the need to avoid as much as possible aggravating the very serious conflict underway, and to prefer all efforts in favor of dialogue, negotiation and peace.
The Pope has been following the developing events in the Middle East closely. At the conclusion of Wednesday’s General Audience, he reiterated his appeal to all the parties involved to prevent the conflict from spreading.
“May there be an immediate ceasefire on all fronts, starting with Gaza, where the humanitarian situation is very serious and unsustainable,” he said, offering his prayers “that the sincere search for peace will extinguish strife, love will overcome hatred and vengeance will be disarmed by forgiveness.”
