TEHRAN Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned United States President Donald Trump’s public attack on Pope Leo XIV. Pezeshkian described the remarks as a desecration of Jesus.
Pezeshkian issued the condemnation on Monday through a post on X. He addressed the message directly to the pontiff on behalf of Iran.
“His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, I condemn the insult to Your Excellency on behalf of the great nation of Iran, and declare that the desecration of Jesus, the prophet of peace and brotherhood, is not acceptable to any free person,” Pezeshkian wrote. He added, “I wish you glory by Allah.”
Trump launched the criticism after Pope Leo XIV called for restraint and negotiations in the conflict with Iran. The pope opposed threats against Iranian civilians and rejected what he called a delusion of omnipotence behind the war.
Trump responded on Truth Social late Sunday. He labeled Pope Leo XIV weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy. Trump also shared an AI-generated image that showed him dressed as Jesus Christ healing the sick.
The dispute intensified existing divisions on the war with Iran. Pope Leo XIV, the first U.S.-born pontiff, had urged world leaders to pursue peace instead of escalation.
Iranian officials backed the condemnation. Deputy communications official Mehdi Tabatabaei compared Trump’s words to character assassination and drew parallels to past attacks on Iranian leaders.
Pezeshkian highlighted common ground across faiths. He noted that Jesus holds a special place as a prophet in Islam and stressed respect for religious figures.
The statement drew attention worldwide. However the Vatican had not yet issued a formal reply to the Iranian message.
Observers said Pezeshkian’s words strengthened calls for religious solidarity amid political tensions. The exchange underscored how the Iran conflict continued to spark reactions from global leaders.
