Aysu Bicer
17 June 2026•Update: 17 June 2026
Pope Leo expressed cautious hope Tuesday that a new memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran could help bring an end to hostilities, urging continued dialogue over renewed conflict.
According to a report by Vatican News, the Pope welcomed recent diplomatic progress, saying: “thank God, there is at least this Memorandum that they will officially sign on Friday.”
“There will still be several points to be established,” he added, “but it is always better to do so through dialogue, through negotiation, rather than returning to war.”
The pontiff expressed hope that the agreement could mark a turning point in the conflict.
He said he hoped the memorandum might be “truly a solution to the war, that the war is really over and that we can move forward for the good of all. Eliminate nuclear weapons, yes, seek the good of all peoples, seek how to solve the problems also at the economic and social level that have been created in this time.”
Commenting also on migration during the same exchange, the Pope reiterated calls for respect for human dignity and a more compassionate approach to displaced people.
“Many times we do not recognize the reasons why these people had to leave their countries. So many reasons: violence, war, conflicts. And so simply saying, ‘Let’s send them away, so we can wash our hands of the problem’ does not seem to me the most Christian response. We must truly respect people—look at the cases, and above all treat people as people with respect,” he said.
The Pope linked the issue to wider debates in Europe following recent migration policy developments, urging governments to focus on humane solutions rooted in dialogue and solidarity.
The United States and Iran announced earlier this week that they had reached a memorandum of understanding to end the war launched by the US and Israel against Iran on Feb. 28. The deal also requires Israeli forces to leave Lebanon.
While US President Donald Trump said that the agreement had already been signed and that the Strait of Hormuz “will be fully reopened by Friday,” Tehran has said only that the memorandum is scheduled to be signed in Geneva, Switzerland on Friday.
Since March 2, Israel has carried out military operations in Lebanon that have left thousands dead and wounded and displaced more than one million people, according to the latest official figures.
Israel occupies areas in southern Lebanon, some of them for decades and others since the 2023–2024 war, while advancing more than 10 kilometers (6.21 miles) during the current conflict.
