VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo said on Sunday that he is following events after US-Israeli strikes against Iran with “deep concern” and made an impassioned appeal to ‌stop what ‌he called ‌a “spiral ⁠of violence.”

“I address ⁠a heartfelt appeal to the parties involved to assume the moral responsibility to ⁠stop the spiral ‌of ‌violence before it becomes ‌an irreparable abyss,” ‌said the pope.

“Stability and peace are not built through ‌mutual threats or through weapons ... but only through ⁠reasonable, ⁠genuine, and responsible dialogue,” the pope said during his weekly address to pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square after a Sunday prayer.