politics

US-Israel War Day 26: Iran denies talks as UAE sees no missile attacks

US President Donald Trump says the war in Iran has been “won” and claims Tehran is ready to make a deal with Washington, though he did not specify which Iranian officials the US is engaging with. Meanwhile, tensions continue to spill across the region, with drones striking a fuel tank at Kuwait International Airport and sparking a fire but causing no casualties, as the conflict’s economic impact begins to reach fuel, transport and household costs. Stay updated with our live coverage of these high-stakes diplomatic and military developments:

:59 PM, 25 March 2026

Gargash calls for decisive support as regional responses fall short

Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President, has called for clearer and more decisive positions from sisterly and friendly countries amid the ongoing escalation, saying recent developments have exposed a gap between genuine support and statements without action.

In a post on his X account, Gargash said: “Since the start of the Iranian aggression, friendly and allied countries had reached out, but their responses varied between sincere, tangible support and positions limited to rhetoric.”

He stressed that the UAE has demonstrated its ability to navigate challenges and remain resilient, adding that the country does not rely on numbers or resources as much as it values clarity of positions and knowing who can be relied upon in times of crisis.

04:53 PM, 25 March 2026

UN rights council demands ‘reparation’ for Iran strikes on Gulf

The UN Human Rights Council on Wednesday condemned Iran’s “egregious attacks” on its Gulf neighbours, calling for full and swift “reparation” to all victims of its strikes.

The 47-member council backed a resolution brought by the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries and Jordan condemning Tehran’s actions aimed at closing the Strait of Hormuz, and demanding Iran immediately “cease all unprovoked attacks”.

IndiGo: Check flight status before heading to airport

IndiGo calls on its passengers to check on their flight status before beginning their transit to the airport. On social media, it said: “Due to the rapidly evolving situation in the Middle East, there may be changes in the flight schedule….Flights listed below are scheduled to operate on 26 March 2026. We are actively working to ensure minimal disruption to your travel plans. Regular updates are being shared on your registered contact details so you stay informed at every step.”

It added: “Our support teams are also available to assist you with any queries or concerns.”

Abu Dhabi food checks

A delegation from Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development visited LuLu Hypermarket and Carrefour in Al Ain as part of ongoing efforts to monitor market operations and stability, strengthen collaboration with retail outlets, and ensure the smooth flow of supply chains across the emirate.

UAE: Egregious, terrorist Iranian attacks targeted critical civilian infrastructure

The UAE stressed that egregious and terrorist Iranian attacks, which have persisted for 26 days, with more than 2,000 ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones targeting critical civilian infrastructure including airports, residential areas, and civilian sites across the UAE, in what it described as a “blatant violation of the state’s sovereignty and international humanitarian law”.

In remarks to the Human Rights Council on Wednesday, Jamal Al Musharakh, UAE Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office and Other International Organisations in Geneva, said, “What we are witnessing today is not merely a military escalation, but a systematic, reckless behaviour that undermines the foundations of the international order and threatens regional and international security and stability, particularly as it targets infrastructure directly linked to the safety of civilians, energy security, the global economy, and international supply chains.”

He added, “Let us also recall that Iran’s egregious attacks have not targeted countries with which it is at war, but rather its neighbours-countries that have repeatedly called for and, over the past months, made intensive efforts to avoid this escalation, based on their firm conviction that military solutions generate crises and serious consequences for the region.”

For his full statement, click here.

03:43 PM, 25 March 2026

Oil prices tumble, stocks rally on Mideast peace hopes

Oil prices tumbled and stock markets rallied Wednesday on reports that the United States had sent a peace plan to Iran.

After nearly four weeks of conflict, investors jumped on signs that hostilities could be winding down, with the safe-haven dollar losing support.

However, analysts pointed out that the arrival of more US troops in the Middle East and fresh missile strikes exchanged between Iran and Israel suggested chances of escalation remained.

“Oil prices have moved lower… offering some relief to equities that had been weighed down by worries over inflation,” noted Matt Britzman, senior equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown.

“It’s still a highly fluid situation. Trying to call how the rest of the week plays out would be unwise.”

03:40 PM, 25 March 2026

IEA chief says ‘ready’ to release more oil reserves if needed

The head of the International Energy Agency (IEA) said Wednesday that he was “ready” to approve the release of more oil reserves if needed to cushion the impact of the Middle East war on global supplies.

Fatih Birol made the comments on a visit to Tokyo, where Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi asked the IEA to carry out an additional release “in case the situation drags on”.

Since last month, US-Israeli attacks on Iran and Tehran’s subsequent responses, including its de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz, have severely disrupted global oil supplies, causing concern over rising prices in Japan and other import-dependent Asian economies.

The IEA previously said member countries would unlock 400 million barrels of oil from their reserves to ease the impact of the Middle East war, the biggest such release ever.

Birol said on Wednesday that the amount was only 20 per cent of the agency’s stocks and there was “still a significant amount of oil” left over.

03:31 PM, 25 March 2026

UAE issues safety alert

Soon after the UAE’s National Center for Emergency and Crisis and Disaster Management sent out an alert calling on residents to head to a safe place while it carried out defence ops, another notification went out assuring them that things had been taken care of and the situation is safe and stable.

03:21 PM, 25 March 2026

UAE issues alert

The UAE’s National Center for Emergency and Crisis and Disaster Management has just issued an alert via phone, calling on people to seek a safe place and stay there. Steer away from windows, doors and open areas, it added, while it deals with potential missile threats. The alert went out in various areas of Sharjah and Dubai.

Also Read:5 things to do if you see falling shrapnel — and the one thing you must not do

02:58 PM, 25 March 2026

UAE air defences engaged 9 drones on March 25

The UAE air defence systems on March 25 engaged 9 UAVs launched from Iran.

Since the onset of the blatant Iranian aggression, UAE air defences have engaged 357 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and 1,815 UAVs.

These attacks have resulted in the martyrdom of 3 members of the armed forces while performing their national duty, as well as 6 fatalities of Pakistani, Nepali, Bangladeshi and Palestinian nationalities.

02:29 PM, 25 March 2026

Iran speaker warns US not to test ‘resolve to defend our land’

Iran’s powerful parliament speaker on Wednesday warned Washington not to test the Islamic republic’s determination to defend its territory after the United States was reported to be sending more troops to the Middle East.

“We are closely monitoring all US movements in the region, especially troop deployments. What the generals have broke, the soldiers can’t fix; instead, they will fall victim to (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu’s delusions,” said Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf in an X post in English.

“Do not test our resolve to defend our land.”

01:27 PM, 25 March 2026

How the UAE’s alert system actually works

For many people in the UAE, the past few weeks have been marked by a now-familiar sound – emergency alerts sent directly to mobile phones.

These alerts are issued when the UAE’s Ministry of Defence confirms that its air defence systems are responding to incoming missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) launched from Iran. At the same time, the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) and the Ministry of Interior (MOI) send notifications instructing residents and visitors to shelter in place. Once the threat has passed and interceptions are complete, a follow-up message confirms that the situation is safe.

Here is how these alerts work and why they do not reach everyone equally.

01:18 PM, 25 March 2026

Why Philippines declared a national energy emergency

The Philippines has declared a state of national energy emergency, highlighting growing risks to global oil supply as the conflict between US, Israel, and Iran have heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed Executive Order (EO) 110 to prepare the country for potential disruptions in fuel production and transportation. As a net importer of petroleum products, the Philippines is highly exposed to global market shocks, particularly those affecting major shipping routes such as the Strait of Hormuz.

“The foregoing circumstances pose an imminent danger of a critically low energy supply and that urgent measures are necessary to ensure the stability and adequacy of the country’s energy supply,” read the EO.

12:55 PM, 25 March 2026

Iran denies talks with US despite Trump claims

Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan on Wednesday said there had been no talks between Washington or Tehran, after US President Donald Trump signalled tentative progress in diplomatic efforts to end the war.

“We have also heard such details through the media, but according to my information – and contrary to Trump’s claims – so far no negotiations, direct or indirect, have taken place between the two countries,” said ambassador Reza Amiri Moghadam, adding that it was “natural that friendly countries are always engaged in consultations with both sides to end this illegitimate aggression”.

12:28 PM, 25 March 2026

Cosco says resumes bookings to some Gulf countries

China’s shipping giant Cosco said on Wednesday that it was resuming new bookings for shipments to some Gulf countries, three weeks after it halted most bookings to the region in response to the Middle East war.

The state-owned firm “resumed new bookings for general cargo containers for shipments” to the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Iraq “with immediate effect”, according to a company statement.

“New booking arrangements and the actual carriage are subject to change due to the volatile situation in the Middle East region”, it added.

12:06 PM, 25 March 2026

US preparing to deploy 1,000 troops to Middle East

The US military is preparing to deploy at least 1,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East in the coming days, according to three people familiar with the plans who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the operation. The move would add to the growing US military presence in the region as Washington weighs its next steps in the conflict with Iran.

11:46 AM, 25 March 2026

UK annual inflation steady before oil price surge

Britain’s annual inflation rate was unchanged at 3.0 percent in February, official data showed Wednesday ahead of an expected jump as the Middle East war has sent oil prices surging.

Rising clothes prices last month were “offset by falls in petrol costs, with prices collected before the start of the conflict in the Middle East and subsequent rise in crude oil prices”, noted Grant Fitzner, chief economist at the Office for National Statistics.

11:40 AM, 25 March 2026

Missile shrapnel hits two homes in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Civil Defense says shrapnel from an intercepted ballistic missile fell on the roofs of two houses in the Eastern Region, one of which was under construction, causing limited material damage but no injuries. Authorities said the incident followed the interception of a missile, with emergency teams assessing the site and ensuring the area remains safe.

11:24 AM, 25 March 2026

Israel says struck naval missile production site in Tehran

The Israeli military on Wednesday announced it had struck a naval cruise missile production facility operating under Iran’s ministry of defence in Tehran.

“In recent days, the Israeli air force acting on IDF intelligence struck two key naval cruise missile production sites in Tehran,” the military said.

According to the military, the facility was used to “develop and manufacture long-range naval cruise missiles, which are capable of rapidly destroying targets at sea and on land”.

The strikes “represent another step in deepening the damage done to the regime’s military production infrastructure”, it added.

10:48 AM, 25 March 2026

What to know about IRGC’s naval mines deployment

Nobody knows how many naval mines were deployed by Iran in the Hormuz Strait.

One estimate puts the number to “at least a dozen naval mines, possibly fewer” placed at specific points IRGC elements know in the narrow waterway that carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s seaborne oil.

10:05 AM, 25 March 2026

Lebanon says Israeli strikes kill 9 in south

Lebanese state media reported on Wednesday that Israeli strikes killed at least six people in a town and a Palestinian refugee camp in the southern Sidon area, and three more in another town.

Israel has stepped up its campaign against Tehran-backed militant group Hezbollah, whose rocket attacks on March 2 pulled Lebanon into the regional war, triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

Citing the health ministry, Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA) said four people were killed in an “Israeli enemy raid” on the town of Adloun, and another two in a strike on an apartment in the Mieh Mieh refugee camp that left four wounded.

In another area of southern Lebanon, the NNA earlier said an Israeli raid on the town of Habboush killed at least three people and wounded 18 others.

10:48 AM, 25 March 2026

What to know about IRGC’s naval mines deployment

Nobody knows how many naval mines were deployed by Iran in the Hormuz Strait.

07:53 AM, 25 March 2026

16 more drones and 1 missile intercepted in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia says its air defenses intercepted and destroyed 16 more unmanned aerial vehicles and one ballistic missile in the Eastern Region early Wednesday, according to Defense Ministry spokesperson Maj. Gen. Turki Al Maliki. The latest interceptions bring the total number of drones downed since the start of Iranian aggression to 723, along with 58 missiles, including 51 ballistic and seven cruise missiles.

07:40 AM, 25 March 2026

Diesel price more than doubles in Vietnam

The price of diesel in Vietnam has more than doubled since the start of the war in the Middle East, according to figures released by the trade ministry on Wednesday.

Diesel prices have skyrocketed about 105 percent from February 26, two days before the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran. The government raised the price to 39,660 dong ($1.50) per litre Wednesday, up from 19,270 dong last month, trade ministry figures showed.

The price of 95-octane petrol also jumped nearly 68 percent over the same period, from 20,150 dong to 33,840 dong.

07:20 AM, 25 March 2026

Projectile hits Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant premises

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been informed by Iran that another projectile hit the premises of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant on Wednesday. “According to Iran, there was no damage to the NPP itself nor injuries to staff, and the condition of the plant is normal”. IAEA Director General Mariano Grossi, in an X post, reiterated his call for “maximum restraint” to avoid nuclear safety risks during conflict.

07:15 AM, 25 March 2026

Iran Guards say missiles fired at Israel, Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had fired missiles at Israel as well as military bases hosting US forces in Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain, Iranian state television reported on Wednesday.

A Guards statement carried by state broadcaster IRIB said that “targets in the heart of the occupied territories”, meaning Israel, and US military bases in the region “were struck by precision-guided liquid- and solid-fuel missile systems and attack drones”.

06:47 AM, 25 March 2026

Iran to control Hormuz until deal is reached

Iran says non-hostile vessels will be allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz if they coordinate with the country’s competent authorities, according to a statement posted by its Iranian UN mission on X.

The mission said ships can transit the vital waterway as long as they do not participate in or support aggression against Iran and fully comply with declared safety and security regulations. The message signals Tehran’s intent to maintain strict control over the strategic shipping route until a broader deal is reached.

06:21 AM, 25 March 2026

7 ways the war can affect monthly expenses

The impact of the Middle East conflict is moving steadily from global markets into household budgets, with early signs already visible in fuel and transport. Pressure is expected to build in stages, spreading across food, goods and services if disruptions persist.

The Strait of Hormuz sits at the centre of this shift. It carries a large share of global oil and trade flows, and any slowdown quickly feeds into prices that consumers eventually pay.

06:06 AM, 25 March 2026

Five drones intercepted and destroyed in Saudi Arabia

Five drones targeting the Eastern Region were intercepted and destroyed, the Ministry of Defense spokesperson said, in the latest aerial engagement reported since hostilities escalated.

05:45 AM, 25 March 2026

Kuwait activates air defenses against missiles and drones

Kuwaiti air defense systems are actively intercepting hostile missiles and drones that entered the country’s airspace, Ministry of Defense spokesman Colonel Staff Saud Al Atwan has announced. Authorities say the systems were engaged to neutralize incoming threats and protect critical infrastructure.

04:45 AM, 25 March 2026

Oil prices drop more than 5% after Trump sends peace plan

Brent crude oil, the global market benchmark, dropped close to six percent Wednesday after US President Donald Trump sent a peace plan to Iran.

At around 0030 GMT, a barrel of Brent crude was down 5.92 percent at $98.30. Benchmark US oil contract, West Texas Intermediate, was down 5.01 percent at $87.72.

04:36 AM, 25 March 2026

Iranian drone strikes hit fuel tank at Kuwait airport

Kuwait’s General Civil Aviation Authority said Iranian drones targeted a fuel tank at Kuwait International Airport, triggering a fire at the site.

Official spokesperson Abdullah Al Rajhi told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that initial reports indicate the damage is limited to material losses, with no casualties reported.

Authorities said emergency procedures were activated immediately, with firefighting teams and relevant agencies responding to contain the blaze. Efforts are under way to secure the site and assess the full extent of the damage.

03:27 AM, 25 March 2026

Trump: Iran wants deal ‘so badly’, talks under way

US President Donald Trump has declared: “This war has been won. The only one that likes to keep it going is the fake news.”

He also pointed out: “Iran is going to make a deal. The new leadership gave us a significant present that showed me that we’re dealing with the right people.”

Trump did not mention the people on the Iranian side that the US leadership is currently dealing with.

politics

U.S.–Iran may meet in Pakistan for talks next week

The U.S. and Iran will likely return to Pakistan next week for a second round of peace negotiations, two senior Pakistani officials told MS NOW on Wednesday.

The latest sign of the countries’ continuing efforts to reach a diplomatic end to the war came from officials who are involved in finalizing decisions with the U.S. and Iranian teams, but did not want to be named because of sensitivities around negotiations, MS NOW reported.

The step toward resuming the stalled peace talks came as tensions in the Persian Gulf continued to rise, further imperiling a shaky two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran.

Oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains at a trickle as Iran continues to pose threats to passing vessels and the U.S. enforces a retaliatory blockade of Iranian ports.

President Donald Trump, who said last week that the ceasefire agreement was subject to the strait being fully reopened, had complained about the lack of activity in the vital shipping route prior to announcing the blockade.

On Wednesday, Iranian state news outlet Fars reported that Tehran was suspending all petrochemical exports until further notice.

Still, the White House said Wednesday it is optimistic about a possible peace agreement coming into view.

“Discussions are being had,” and “we feel good about the prospects of a deal,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters at a White House briefing, while cautioning that the next round of in-person talks hasn’t yet been made official.

Leavitt also said those talks would “very likely” be held in Islamabad, “the same place as they were last time.” Pakistan has facilitated communications between the warring powers.

The first round of negotiations last weekend — a marathon 21-hour session led on the the U.S. side by Vice President JD Vance and special envoys Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner — ended in no deal.

Pakistan is “the only mediator in this negotiation,” Leavitt said as she praised the regional power for its help so far.

Leavitt also said it is “not true” that the U.S. has requested an extension of the ceasefire, which is set to expire next Tuesday.

A senior U.S. official told CNBC on Wednesday morning, “The United States has not formally agreed to an extension of the ceasefire. There is continued engagement between the U.S. and Iran to reach a deal.”

CNBC

politics

US halts Iran sea trade despite hopes for talks

The United States said on Wednesday its military had completely halted trade going in and out of Iran by sea, while President Donald Trump said talks with Tehran on ending the war could resume this week, sending oil prices down for a second day.

Trump said negotiations between U.S. and Iranian officials could resume in Pakistan in the next two days and Vice President JD Vance, who led weekend talks that ended without a breakthrough, said he felt positive about where things stood.

“I think you’re going to be watching an amazing two days ahead,” Trump told ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl, adding he did not think it would be necessary to extend a two-week ceasefire that ends on April 21. “It could end either way, but I think a deal is preferable because then they can rebuild,” Trump said, according to a post by Karl on X. “They really do have a different regime now. No matter what, we took out the radicals.”

Officials from Pakistan, Iran and the Gulf also said negotiating teams from the U.S. and Iran could return to Pakistan later this week, although one senior Iranian source said no date had been set.

Despite the optimistic note, more vessels were being turned back under the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports, including a U.S.-sanctioned and Chinese-owned tanker Rich Starry that was making its way back to the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday after exiting the Arabian Gulf.

Admiral Brad Cooper, the head of the U.S. Central Command, said American forces had completely halted economic trade going in and out of Iran by sea, which he said fuels 90% of Iran’s economy.

“In less than 36 hours since the blockade was implemented, U.S. forces have completely halted economic trade going into and out of Iran by sea,” Cooper said in a post on X.

U.S. and Iran begin a battle of economic endurance in the Strait of Hormuz

Earlier the U.S. military said it had intercepted eight Iran-linked oil tankers since the start of the blockade on Monday, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Trump, speaking to the New York Post on Tuesday, said his negotiators are likely to be back, thanks largely to the “great job” Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, was doing to moderate the talks.

Later on Tuesday, at an event in Georgia, U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Trump wanted to make a “grand bargain” with Iran but there was a lot of mistrust between the two countries.

“You are not going to solve that problem overnight,” he said. The signs of diplomatic engagement to end the conflict that began on Feb. 28 helped calm oil markets, pressing benchmark prices below US$100 for a second day on Wednesday. Asian stocks rose while the safe-haven dollar stabilized after falling for a seventh straight session overnight.

China’s Xi warns global order ‘crumbling’ amid Iran war chaos

However, the market stands to lose access to further supply as the U.S. does not plan to renew a 30-day waiver of sanctions on Iranian oil at sea that expires this week, according to two U.S. officials, and quietly let a similar waiver on Russian oil run out on the weekend.

The war has prompted Iran to effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global waterway for crude and gas transport, and cut shipments from the Gulf to global buyers, particularly in Asia and Europe, leaving importers scrambling to secure alternative supplies. About 5,000 people have died in the hostilities, including about 3,000 in Iran and 2,000 in Lebanon.

Sticking points

Iran’s nuclear ambitions were a key sticking point at the weekend talks. The U.S. had proposed a 20-year suspension of all nuclear activity by Iran, while Tehran had suggested a halt of three to five years, according to people familiar with the proposals.

Speaking in Seoul, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, said the length of any moratorium on Iranian uranium enrichment was a political decision and it was possible Tehran might accept a compromise as a confidence-building act.

The U.S. has also pressed for any enriched nuclear material to be removed from Iran, while Tehran has demanded that international sanctions against it be removed.

Israel and Lebanon meet in Washington for first direct diplomatic talks in decades

One source involved in the negotiations in Pakistan said back-channel talks since the weekend had produced progress in closing that gap, bringing the two sides closer to a deal that could be put forward at a new round of talks.

However, in a major complication for peace prospects, Israel has continued to attack Lebanon as it targets Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group. Israel and the U.S. say that campaign is not covered by the ceasefire, while Iran insists it is. On Tuesday, the U.K., Canada, Japan and seven other countries condemned the killings of UN peacekeepers in Lebanon and called for “an urgent end to hostilities.”

Reuters

politics

‘I don’t fear Trump,’ says Pope Leo after ‘weak’ jibe

Pope Leo said he did not fear the Trump administration and would continue to speak out against war after Donald Trump delivered an extraordinary broadside against him in which he said he did not think the Chicago-born pontiff was “doing a very good job”, while also suggesting he should “stop catering to the radical left”.

In remarks that have been widely criticised, the US president used a lengthy social media post to sharply criticise Leo while he flew from Florida to Washington on Sunday night, then continued in comments on the tarmac to reporters. “I’m not a fan of Pope Leo,” he said.

Trump made the comments after Leo suggested over the weekend that a “delusion of omnipotence” was fuelling the US-Israeli war in Iran. While it is not unusual for popes and presidents to be at cross purposes, it is exceedingly rare for the pope to criticise a US leader – and for the president to respond in such a stinging manner.

“Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” the president wrote in his post, adding: “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon.” He repeated that sentiment in comments to reporters, saying: “We don’t like a pope who says it’s OK to have a nuclear weapon.”

Later, he posted a clearly AI-generated image of himself as a Jesus-like figure, appearing to “cure” a man. He deleted it after a backlash from some of his religious supporters.

Leo presided over an evening prayer service in St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican on Saturday, the day the US and Iran began face-to-face negotiations in Pakistan during a fragile ceasefire. The pope did not mention the US or Trump by name, but his tone and message appeared to be directed at Trump and American officials, who have boasted of US military superiority and justified the war in religious terms.

Leo arrived in Algeria on Monday as part of an 11-day tour of Africa, and during the papal flight he told reporters he was not a politician and that he did not want to enter into a debate with Trump.

“The message of the church, my message, the message of the gospel: blessed are the peacemakers. I do not look at my role as being political, a politician.” Leo said he did not think the message of the gospel should “be abused, as some are doing”.

“I continue to speak strongly against war, seeking to promote peace, dialogue and multilateralism among states to find solutions to problems,” he said.

Responding to a question from a US journalist, the pope said: “I’m not afraid of the Trump administration or speaking out loudly of the message of the gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do, what the church is here to do.”

US bishops have defended Leo, saying he is not a political rival but a “vicar of Christ who speaks from the truth of the gospel” while their Italian counterparts called on Trump to respect Leo and his ministry.

The Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian, said he condemned Trump’s “insult” in a message addressed to Leo on social media. “On behalf of the great nation of Iran, I condemn the insult to Your Excellency and declare that the desecration of Jesus (peace be upon him), the prophet of peace and brotherhood, is unacceptable to any free person,” he wrote.

Italian politicians from across the spectrum also criticised Trump’s comments. Matteo Salvini, the far-right deputy prime minister who has been a staunch supporter of Trump, said: “If anyone is working hard on the issue of peace and conflict resolution, it’s Pope Leo. Attacking the pope, a symbol of peace and a spiritual guide for billions of Catholics, doesn’t seem like a useful or intelligent thing to do.”

Italy’s far-right prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, said Trump’s words were “unacceptable”. But that was only after she came under pressure from the opposition when she omitted to address the remarks in a social media post earlier on Monday that praised Leo for his role in “fostering the return of peace” and his trip to Africa. Her government has formed strategic partnerships on the continent, mainly aimed at addressing irregular immigration.

Meloni, who is ideologically in tune with Trump and has nurtured good relations with him, said in a statement: “I find President Trump’s words toward the Holy Father unacceptable. The pope is the head of the Catholic church, and it is right and proper that he calls for peace and condemns all forms of war.”

Matteo Renzi, Italy’s liberal former prime minister, said it was a “duty” to defend the pope. “Not only for Catholics but also, and above all, for the laity,” he said.

“It’s been centuries since we’ve seen such blatant aggression [against a pope],” Renzi said, describing the pontiff as a “bridge builder”, in contrast to Trump, who he described as “a destroyer of relationships and civilisations”.

Leo’s criticisms of the war have intensified since the US-Israeli strikes on Iran began. In ones of his harshest condemnations, he said God “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them”.

This was seen as a rebuke to the US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, who said he prayed for “overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy”.

Leo has also referenced an Old Testament passage from Isaiah, saying that “even though you make many prayers, I will not listen – your hands are full of blood”.

Before the ceasefire, when Trump warned of mass strikes against Iranian power plants and other infrastructure and that “an entire civilization will die tonight”, Leo described such sentiments as “truly unacceptable”.

In his social media post on Sunday night, however, Trump went far beyond the war in Iran in criticising Leo. The president wrote: “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s terrible that America attacked Venezuela, a Country that was sending massive amounts of Drugs into the United States.” That was a reference to the Trump administration ousting the Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro in January.

“I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because I’m doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do,” Trump added, referencing his 2024 election victory.

Trump also suggested in the post that Leo only got his position “because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J Trump”.

“If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican,” Trump claimed, adding: “Leo should get his act together as Pope, use Common Sense, stop catering to the Radical Left, and focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician. It’s hurting him very badly and, more importantly, it’s hurting the Catholic Church!”

In his subsequent comments to reporters, Trump remained highly critical, saying: “I don’t think he’s doing a very good job. He likes crime I guess,” adding: “He’s a very liberal person.”

In the 2024 election, Trump won 55% of Catholic voters, according to AP VoteCast, an extensive survey of the electorate. But Trump’s administration also has close ties to conservative evangelical Protestant leaders and has claimed heavenly endorsement for the war on Iran.

Hegseth has urged Americans to pray for victory “in the name of Jesus Christ”. When Trump was asked whether he thought God approved of the war, he said: “I do, because God is good – because God is good and God wants to see people taken care of.”

The US vice-president, JD Vance, urged the Vatican to “stick to matters of morality”.

Vance told Fox News: “In some cases, it would be best for the Vatican to stick to matters of morality … and let the president of the United States stick to dictating American public policy.”

The Guardian