(OSV News): As anti-government protests in Iran continued despite an Internet blackout and the use of lethal force against demonstrators, Pope Leo XIV expressed his concern over the escalating situation.
After praying the Angelus prayer with pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square on January 11, Pope Leo said his thoughts turned “to the situation currently unfolding in the Middle East, especially in Iran and Syria,” where government forces clashed with Kurdish fighters in Aleppo.
The pope lamented that “ongoing tensions continue to claim many lives.”
He said, “I hope and pray that dialogue and peace may be patiently nurtured in pursuit of the common good of the whole of society.”
While it was not the first time protests have erupted against the theocratic government, led by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the current wave, which began in late December, was sparked by the country’s collapsing economy and record inflation.
However, the widespread nature of the protests, which is the most significant threat to Khamenei’s rule in recent history, prompted a brutal crackdown by government forces.
According to the BBC, as of January 14, the government’s crackdown has resulted in the deaths of at least 2,000 people.
Iran International, a UK-based news organisation that covers news from Iran, said footage received from Iran shows dozens of dead bodies in body bags being held at various sites.
“The most conservative estimates indicate that at least 2,000 people have been killed across Iran over the past 48 hours,” Iran International reported.
