One might never know it by the rhetoric of Pope Leo XIV, but the Islamic theocracy that rules over Iran is a brutal regime.
The country is regularly linked to terrorist paramilitary organizations wreaking havoc and causing enormous amounts of violence, destruction, and suffering to innocent people throughout the Middle East. Despite such horrific acts, Pope Leo seems more concerned with disparaging and criticizing President Donald Trump for standing up to this rogue, theocratic, and totalitarian government than vociferously condemning Iran for committing such atrocities.
More innocent people are being killed in Iran, by the Iranian government, as the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced four Iranians to death for their dissent in nationwide protests in January, accusing them of “operational action for the hostile government of the United States and hostile groups.”
Yet the pope has remained silent so far. Well, not exactly silent, per se, as the pontiff again called for a rejection “of violence and war, and embrace peace,” in a post on X on Wednesday. Later, while speaking in Cameroon, Leo made more comments, which, arguably, appeared to be another criticism of President Donald Trump, his administration, and the military operation against Iran, even if the pontiff did not mention anyone by name.
“Jesus told us, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers,’” said Leo. “But woe to those who manipulate religion in the very name of God for their own military, economic, or political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth.”
Yet, the pope’s newfound affinity for public criticism and condemnation in geopolitics once again did not include Iran. It’s an inexplicable and shocking consistent moral failure by the pontiff, who is quite the lion when criticizing Trump but a little lamb when it comes to condemning the Iranian regime.
According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, the four protesters, Mohammadreza Majidi-Asl, Bita Hemmati, Behrouz Zamaninejad, and Kourosh Zamaninejad, were being murdered for “participation in protest gatherings on January 8 and 9, 2026,” “chanting protest slogans,” “throwing objects including bottles, concrete blocks, and incendiary materials from rooftops,” and “destruction of public property.” According to HRANA, Majidi-Asl, Hemmati, Zamaninejad, and Zamaninejad were “subjected to pressure during interrogation, and concerns have been raised regarding the possibility of forced confessions during that period.”
But yet, the Vicar of Christ, the leader of the Catholic Church, St. Peter’s chosen successor, and all the titles that Leo’s defenders have recently hailed to emphasize his righteousness while remarking about his feud with Trump, has (so far) said nothing. Neither have the clergy who rushed to Leo’s defense and criticized the president. This repeated, silent omission by the pontiff fueled Trump’s criticism of him, and it’s why many Catholics agreed with the president’s criticism of Leo. The pope’s condemnations seem to go only one way, and many Catholics have grown weary of this theological discord.
Trump referenced the pope’s glaring rhetorical inconsistency with a Truth Social post earlier this week, reminding the pontiff of the thousands killed by Iran.
“Will someone please tell Pope Leo that Iran has killed at least 42,000 innocent, completely unarmed, protesters in the last two months, and that for Iran to have a Nuclear Bomb is absolutely unacceptable,” Trump said.
And Trump has a valid point. Moreover, while many have rushed to condemn Trump’s rhetoric toward Pope Leo, they have given the pontiff an inexcusable pass. It’s inexcusable and warrants legitimate criticism. The pope clearly has different standards of outrage when it comes to Trump and when it comes to Iran’s terrorist regime. Why?
Unfortunately, instead of objectivity and consistent, universal calls for peace, the pontiff has made Trump the villain. Leo is engaged in the current phenomenon aligned with left-wing, socialist, and communist organizations that prioritize rebuking Trump while saying little, if anything, about regimes that brutally murder thousands of innocent people.
Logic would dictate that authoritarians and totalitarians who kill dissenters should be at the top of the list of the pope’s outrage. It should raise many questions and concerns that such government administrations and regimes escape papal condemnation.
POPE LEO ATTACKED TRUMP FIRST, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND
A papal criticism of war and calls for peace are fine. Everyone should want wars to end and world peace to exist. The pope is right to do this. Yet, his inability to condemn Iran looks suspiciously weak and, as Trump said, “terrible for foreign policy.”
If Leo wants to comment on geopolitical affairs, he should, and no one should protest him doing so. But if he has enough conviction to criticize the war in Iran, he should also have enough courage and strength to denounce Iran at the same level he rebukes Trump. Rushing to excuse Leo’s behavior and omissions on Iran simply because he is the pope is inexcusable.