Pope Francis on Wednesday (17/1) condemned Iran’s missile attack on the Kurdistan region in Northern Iraq, and urged all parties to avoid escalating the conflict in the Middle East.
The attack deepens concerns about worsening instability in the Middle East since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out on October 7. Iran’s allies are also involved in the conflict from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen.
“I express closeness and solidarity with the victims, all civilians, of the missile attacks that hit the urban area of Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region,” Pope Francis said in his weekly audience at the Vatican.
“Good relations between neighbors are not built by similar actions, but by dialogue and collaboration. “I ask everyone to avoid any steps that fuel tensions in the Middle East and other war scenarios,” he continued.
Pope Francis also called for prayers for “the many victims of war,” mentioning in particular Ukraine, Gaza and other Palestinian territories, as well as Israel. (uh/ab)