Washington: US President, Donald Trump, renewed his criticism of Pope Leo XIV over the pontiff's calls to end global conflicts, accusing him of overlooking Iran's crackdown on protesters earlier this year.
According to Ghana News Agency, Trump expressed his concerns on his Truth Social platform, highlighting the severe repercussions faced by protesters in Iran. "Will someone please tell Pope Leo that Iran has killed at least 42,000 innocent, completely unarmed protesters in the last two months, and that for Iran to have a Nuclear Bomb is absolutely unacceptable," Trump wrote late on Tuesday.
The United States and Israel initiated a military campaign against Iran in late February, aiming to limit Tehran's nuclear program and its potential to develop nuclear weapons. Currently, a two-week ceasefire is in effect amidst the ongoing conflict.
Protests erupted in Iran in late December, initially fueled by an economic crisis but rapidly transforming into widespread anti-government demonstrations against the Islamic Republic's authoritarian regime. The Iranian security forces responded with a forceful crackdown on the demonstrators.
Pope Leo, during a peace prayer at St Peter's Basilica in Rome on Saturday, urged for an end to wars, with his recent appeals increasingly addressing the conflict involving Iran. The pope, who is the first from the United States, criticized Trump's threats against Iran, labeling them as 'truly unacceptable,' which has drawn continued criticism from both Trump and Vice President JD Vance.