Pope Leo Praises US-Iran Interim Agreement to End Regional Conflict

Pope Leo has lauded the interim agreement between the United States and Iran to end the Middle East's regional conflict, stating "thanks be to God" as the two powers prepare to formalize their accord this Friday.

The pontiff, who previously drew the ire of US President Donald Trump for criticizing the Iran war, expressed hope the deal would permanently resolve the conflict.

In April, Pope Leo labeled Trump’s threat to wipe out Iranian civilization "unacceptable" after the US president said "a whole civilization will die tonight.”

An outspoken critic of the Iran war, he repeatedly called on citizens across the world to contact their political representatives and urge them to bring the conflict to an end.

Speaking from his Castel Gandolfo, Italy residence on Tuesday, the first U.S. pope told journalists, "There will still be several points to settle, but it is always better to do so through dialogue, through negotiations, and not by returning to war."

He concluded, "I hope that it truly is a solution to the war, that the war really is over, and that we can move forward."

Details of an interim agreement between the United States and Iran began to emerge Tuesday, outlining a deal that would see Tehran forgo nuclear weapons in exchange for the ability to sell oil.

Trump stated the accord would definitively rule out a nuclear weapon for Iran, while a US official confirmed it would permit the country to sell oil immediately upon signing.

The provisional accord is set to extend a fragile ceasefire, first declared in April, by an additional 60 days. Crucially, it aims to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively closed since February following attacks by the US and Israel.

Speaking at the G7 meetings in France, Trump added that the text of the deal explicitly prevents Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, and the full agreement would be publicly disclosed within days. He also expressed favour for the idea of submitting the Iran deal to Congress for review, a request from some Republican lawmakers.

A senior US official elaborated that the deal allows Iran to commence immediate sales of oil and fuel, with banking, transportation, and insurance services included to facilitate these transactions. The official stressed that the agreement is conditional.

"Iran can only access any benefits of the MOU if they abide by all of the points they agreed to – including no nuclear weapon, neutralizing its enriched material, and not interfering with the free flow of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz."