AhlulBayt News Agency: In a significant gesture of interfaith solidarity amid escalating geopolitical tensions, Grand Ayatollah Hossein Nouri Hamedani has penned a letter to the leader of the world's Catholics, Pope Leo XIV, commending the pontiff's recent condemnation of militarism and the "delusion of omnipotence" fueling conflict in West Asia.
The letter, dated April 13, 2026, and obtained by Hawzah News Agency, comes just days after Pope Leo XIV intensified his criticism of the US-Israeli war on Iran, describing the rhetoric justifying the conflict as "demonic" and an "idolatry of self and money" .
A Unified Front Against 'Arrogance'
In his letter, the senior Shia Marja praised the Pope's "courageous stance" against "US arrogance" and the "corrupt Zionist regime." Ayatollah Nouri Hamedani emphasized that the Pope's voice aligns with the defense of oppressed nations, specifically highlighting the plight of the Iranian, Lebanese, and Palestinian people.
"Undoubtedly, your brave stance against US arrogance and corrupt Zionism was among the most necessary positions, which will register your name and conduct globally and eternally," the Grand Ayatollah wrote. "This stance proved that throughout history, there are always wise scholars from pure divine religions who defend humanity and human rights, no matter the cost."
Echoing the Pontiff's Call for an End to the 'Idolatry of Power'
The letter directly echoes the language used by Pope Leo XIV during a recent prayer service at St. Peter's Basilica, where he warned against the "delusion of omnipotence that surrounds us and is becoming increasingly unpredictable and aggressive”. The Pope had called for an immediate end to the "display of power" and the "demonic cycle of evil," statements widely interpreted as a rebuke of the Trump administration's military policy in the region and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's invocation of Christianity to justify the war.
Ayatollah Nouri Hamedani's message appears to capitalize on this apparent rift between the Vatican and Washington, framing the Pope's criticism as a vindication of Iran's long-standing position against American interventionism. The Grand Ayatollah noted that the Pope's message resonates deeply within Islamic scripture: "It is clear that what you expressed exists in the deepest layers of Islamic religious texts."
A Call for a Global Coalition of Faiths
Beyond mere praise, the letter extends a strategic hand toward a broader geopolitical realignment based on religious common ground. Ayatollah Nouri Hamedani expressed hope for the formation of a "global coalition of the followers of religions" based on the teachings of divine prophets.
The Grand Ayatollah concluded his letter with a prayer for the ultimate triumph of righteousness, invoking the Shia eschatological hope for the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance): "Hoping for the formation of a global coalition of the followers of religions based on the teachings of the divine prophets and in the shadow of the emergence of the Righteous and Universal Reformer."
Context: Rising Tensions and Papal Diplomacy
This high-level religious correspondence occurs against the backdrop of a fragile ceasefire and face-to-face negotiations between the US and Iran in Pakistan. Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pontiff, has progressively sharpened his tone since Palm Sunday, previously calling President Trump's threats of annihilation "truly unacceptable”. The Vatican has expressed particular alarm over the spillover of violence affecting Christian communities in southern Lebanon.
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