Pope Leo calls Trump's threat against Iran 'truly unacceptable'

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy —Pope Leo said on Tuesday that threats against the population of Iran are "unacceptable," in an unusual appeal hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said "a whole civilization will die tonight" in a social media post that shocked world leaders.

"Today, as we all know, there was this threat against the entire people of Iran, and this is truly unacceptable," said the pope, who has emerged as an outspoken critic of the Iran war.

"There are certainly issues here of international law, but even more than that, it is a moral question for the good of the (world's) people," he said.

It is rare for the pope, who leads 1.4 billion Catholics around the world, to respond directly to a world leader.

Leo, who is also known for choosing his words carefully, has been ramping up his criticism of the U.S-Israeli war against Iran in recent weeks.

The pope made his first direct appeal to Trump last week, urging him to find an "off-ramp" to end the conflict.

Speaking to journalists outside his residence in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, on Tuesday, Leo called on citizens across the world to contact their political representatives and ask them to bring the expanding regional conflict to an end.

"People want peace," he said. "I would invite the citizens of all the countries involved to contact the authorities -- political leaders, congressmen -- to ask them to work for peace."

Leo also said that many people have referred to the conflict as an "unjust war", using terminology to indicate hostilities that go against the Catholic Church's strong pro-life teachings.

He urged people to "remember especially the innocent children, the elderly, the sick, so many people who have already become or will become victims of this continued warfare".

The pope also said that attacks on civilian infrastructure "are against international law".

Trump has threatened to destroy every bridge and power plant in Iran.—Reuters