Pope Leo hits out at 'atrocious violence' of Iran war as he calls for ceasefire 

'In the name of Christians in the Middle East ​and of all women and men of good will, I appeal to those responsible for this conflict: Cease fire!'

Pope Leo XIV waves as he arrives for his weekly general audience in St Peter's Square earlier this month. Picture: AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia

Pope Leo made an impassioned plea on Sunday for an immediate ceasefire ​in the expanding Iran war, lamenting "atrocious violence" that he said had ‌killed thousands of non-combatants and caused suffering across the region.

As the US-Israeli war on Iran enters its third week, the first US pope warned that violence would not bring the justice, ​stability and peace that the peoples of the region long for.