By Joshua McElwee

A destroyed vehicle amid rubble at the site of a strike on a residential building, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, March 16, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia… Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab Read more

ROME, March 18 (Reuters) – The Vatican’s top diplomat on Wednesday called ‌on U.S. President Donald Trump to end the expanding Iran war as soon as possible and suggested Israel should also ​stop its strikes against Lebanon.

“I would say to ​finish it as soon as possible … and to ⁠leave alone Lebanon,” Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, a ​senior advisor to the AmericanPope Leo, said in an unusually ​direct appeal.

“This message goes also to the Israelis,” he added, speaking to journalists at an event at the Italian parliament.

Vatican diplomats do ​not usually make direct appeals for action by ​foreign leaders, preferring to work behind the scenes. Parolin, the Vatican’s ‌Secretary ⁠of State since 2013, is known for speaking in muted tones, and seeking to avoid the spotlight.

Leo, who also known for speaking diplomatically, has been ramping ​up calls for ​an end ⁠to the Iran war in recent days.

On Monday, he urged journalists to highlight ​the suffering caused by war, cautioning against ​news reports ⁠that risk sliding into propaganda by glorifying conflicts.

Parolin said on Wednesday he was worried that the conflict would continue ⁠to ​escalate. He called on Trump ​and other world leaders “to resolve problems … through the peaceful ways of diplomacy ​and dialogue”.

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