Pezeshkian appeals to Pope for global action against Israeli crimes

By Al Mayadeen English
20 Nov 2024 15:27

In a message to Pope Francis II, the Iranian President called on the Vatican to urge world leaders to put effort into preventing the continuation of Israeli aggression on Gaza and Lebanon.

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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian speaks in an open session of parliament to debate his next year's budget bill, in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, October 29, 2024. (AP)

Iran is ready to engage constructively with the Vatican to promote peace and justice worldwide, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian affirmed Wednesday.

"The Islamic Republic is ready for constructive interaction with the Vatican to spread peace and justice in the world," he stressed.

In a message to Pope Francis II, Pezeshkian called on him to urge world leaders to put effort into preventing the continuation of Israeli aggression.

He pointed out that such an initiative could significantly alleviate the suffering of those affected, whether in Gaza or Lebanon, and help create opportunities for delivering humanitarian aid.

Pezeshkian highlighted that Iran has delayed its response to multiple Israeli crimes, opting instead to send messages through European countries to halt the escalation and aggression.

However, the Iranian President added, "Israel has persisted in its grave violations of sovereignty and has even launched a large-scale aggression against Lebanon, which is still ongoing."

His message comes in the context of an Iranian delegation's visit to participate in the 12th round of religious dialogue between the Center for Interfaith Dialogue and Cultures of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, led by the head of the Islamic Culture and Communication Organization, Mohammad Mehdi Imanipour.

Pope Francis calls for investigation into Gaza genocide

In his forthcoming book "Hope Never Disappoints. Pilgrims Towards a Better World," Pope Francis has for the first time addressed the fact that the actions of the Israeli occupation forces in Gaza may constitute genocide.

Extracts from the book, published Sunday in Italy’s La Stampa, show the Pope calling for a careful investigation to determine if the Israeli occupation's actions align with the technical definition of genocide as formulated by jurists and international organizations.

"According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of genocide," the Pope wrote, emphasizing the need for rigorous study of these claims. This statement marks the pontiff’s most direct public commentary on the term "genocide" in connection with "Israel’s" military operations in Gaza, although he did not explicitly endorse the term.

Pope Francis has previously condemned the high casualty toll in Gaza, which stands at over 43,846, the majority of whom being women and children. His comments come amid growing international debate on the legality and humanitarian impact of the Israeli occupation's aggression on Gaza.