Tehran: The chairmen of Iran's religious and scientific institutions, in a joint letter to the head of the world's Catholic Church, have praised his 'courageous stance' and voiced hope it would help end ongoing conflicts.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, the letter addressed to Pope Leo XIV, released on Saturday, commended the Pope's condemnation of the US-Israeli attacks against Iran and the killing of innocent people. The letter expressed that the Pope's resistance to political pressure from the US president sets 'an example for scholars and clerics of all faiths.'

The signatories highlighted that the message of divine prophets has consistently promoted peace, human solidarity, and the rejection of oppression and violence. They referenced religious teachings, noting that the unjust killing of a single person is akin to killing all humanity. The letter accused the 'child-killing Zionist regime,' supported by the US administration, of attacking several countries in the past three years, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of innocent men, women, and children in regions such as Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, and Qatar.

The letter specifically mentioned the US-Israeli war of aggression launched against Iran on February 28, highlighting the assassination of Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and strikes on civilian infrastructure, including universities, schools, and charity centers. The authors of the letter argued that resources currently devoted to conflict should instead be used to promote moral values and alleviate human suffering.

These remarks come in response to earlier statements by the Pope, who warned of escalating violence in West Asia and urged restraint. The Pope emphasized that 'stability and peace are not built with mutual threats or weapons,' advocating for 'reasonable, authentic, and responsible dialogue.' He also warned that further escalation could result in a major humanitarian crisis.