WANA (Apr 13) – Hossein Nouri Hamedani—a senior Shia cleric and one of Iran’s prominent religious authorities—praised the recent positions of Pope Leo XIV in a letter, while calling for greater unity among world religions to confront what he described as “unjust oppression.”

 

The letter was issued in response to the Pope’s recent statements, in which the leader of the Catholic Church emphasized the need to end ongoing conflicts, protect civilians and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid, expressing concern over the suffering of people in the region.

 

Nouri Hamedani opens his message with a direct tone, extending: “the greetings of God—the Great, the Just, the All-Aware—upon you and upon all brave, righteous, and reformist voices who stand against unjust oppression inflicted upon the oppressed peoples of the world, including the oppressed nations of Iran, Lebanon, and Palestine.”

 

By explicitly naming these three countries, the cleric frames the current regional tensions within a broader narrative often used in Iranian political and religious discourse—one that portrays these societies as victims of external pressure, conflict, and geopolitical confrontation.

 

He goes on to commend the Pope’s stance as a defining moment in the international arena: “Undoubtedly, your courageous position against American arrogance and corrupt Zionism was among the most necessary stances—one that will etch your name and actions into global memory.”

 

The senior cleric further underscores the role of religious leaders in defending human values, writing: “This stance demonstrated that throughout history, there have always been enlightened scholars of divine religions who defend humanity and human rights, even at great personal cost.”

 

Highlighting shared religious foundations, he adds: “It is clear that what you expressed exists within the deepest layers of Islamic religious texts.”

 

In the closing lines of the letter, Nouri Hamedani outlines a broader vision beyond immediate political reactions, expressing hope for: “the formation of a global coalition of followers of divine religions, based on the teachings of the prophets.”