Pope Leo rebukes US leaders over religious justification for Iran war

• Pope Leo has cautioned against using religion to justify violence, in what appears to be a rebuke of the ongoing Iran war.
• The Pontiff stated that God's name must not be profaned by desires for domination or used to justify 'death-dealing choices and actions'.
• These remarks follow statements from the US administration, particularly Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has invoked Christianity in the context of the Iran conflict, including praying for 'wicked souls' to face 'eternal damnation'.
• Hegseth's comments have been criticised by military and constitutional experts as undermining the separation of church and state, and even by some allies.
• The Pope's stance has led to a dispute with the US administration, with Donald Trump criticising the Pope's foreign policy views and Vice President JD Vance warning him to 'be careful' when discussing theology, while Pope Leo has affirmed he will not be silenced.

IN FULL

Pope Leo says God’s name should not be used to ‘justify death-dealing choices’ as Hegseth’s religious messaging continues