Pope warns oil drives conflicts, criticises war on Iran

Pope Leo XIV said yesterday that armed conflicts are driven by the exploitation of oil fields, with no regard for international law or the right of peoples to determine their own future. The pope made the remarks in posts on his X account while visiting Equatorial Guinea as part of an 11-day African tour that began in Algeria on 13 April. The trip also included stops in Cameroon and Angola. His comments came amid an ongoing exchange with US President Donald Trump, following the pope’s condemnation of US policies, particularly on immigration and the war on oil-rich Iran. Even more than in the past, it is clear today that the proliferation of armed conflicts is often driven by the exploitation […]