Pope Leo urges Israel's Herzog to end Iran war in phone call, Vatican says

A telephone conversation took place on Friday morning, April 3, between Pope Leo XIV and the President of the State of Israel, Isaac Herzog, on the occasion of the Easter festivities.

According to a statement released by the Holy See Press Office that confirmed the call, "during the conversation, the need to reopen all possible channels of diplomatic dialogue was reiterated, in order to put an end to the serious ongoing conflict, with a view to achieving a just and lasting peace throughout the Middle East."

"As the discussion continued," the Holy See Press Office note concluded, "attention was focused on the importance of protecting the civilian population and promoting respect for international and humanitarian law."