Pope welcomes US-Iran deal, hopes for strengthened ‘trust, security, and stability’

Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday morning welcomed the new deal between the U.S. and Iran ending the war between the two countries and said he hoped for bolstered “mutual trust, security, and stability in the Middle East.”

“I welcome with satisfaction the reaching of an agreement between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America, which will be signed on Friday, as an encouraging result of patient work in dialogue and negotiation,” the pope said in a post on the social platform X.

“I express my gratitude to the countries that have worked to facilitate a meeting between the parties and to make this agreement possible. I hope that the agreement may help strengthen mutual trust, security, and stability in the Middle East, promoting paths of dialogue and cooperation among peoples,” he added.

Last weekend, President Trump announced a deal with Iran, a breakthrough that came after three months of on-again, off-again fighting that devastated the region, stressed the global economy and raised the prices of oil and gas.

Trump has said the text of the agreement will not be unveiled until it is signed in person by Washington and Tehran at the end of the week. However, multiple outlets have said they obtained the 14-point memorandum of understanding (MOU).

On Wednesday morning, White House communications director Steven Cheung said the reported text “does not reflect the language of the actual MOU.”

Some of the key provisions included in the reported agreement are an end to fighting on “all fronts” — including Lebanon, where Israel has been seeking to destroy Hezbollah — and both sides agreeing to restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz to its prewar levels within 30 days of the deal’s signing.