Pope Leo XIV affirmed that he will continue working to persuade the parties in Lebanon to abandon weapons and violence and to move toward dialogue.

In a press interview, he added, “Seeking solutions that do not rely on violence but are more effective is in the best interest of the Lebanese people.”

The Pope noted that he had reviewed Hezbollah’s message, saying, “The Church has proposed that they lay down their weapons and pursue dialogue.” He revealed that “political meetings were held away from the media and focused on calming both internal and international tensions.”