Cardinal Parolin urges renewed Iran talks as Ukraine peace remains elusive

By Edoardo Giribaldi

“Unfortunately, it seems to me that we are moving in the opposite direction: there is an escalation, while the prospects for peace remain nonexistent.” With these words, Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin responded to journalists’ questions on the sidelines of the presentation of Antonio Preziosi’s book Easter of Peace: From John XXIII to Leo XIV Towards the Jubilee of 2033, held on Wednesday afternoon, 22 July, at Palazzo Borromeo, the seat of the Italian Embassy to the Holy See.

 Commenting on the latest developments in the war in Ukraine, Cardinal Parolin noted that, according to Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations, who has just returned from the war-torn country, “the night between Sunday and Monday saw one of the heaviest attacks.”

A return to negotiations with Iran

Turning to Iran, the Cardinal Secretary of State observed that the Memorandum of Understanding is no longer in force and voiced concern over the evolving situation.

“I do not know how this will end. I think very few people know—perhaps no one,” he said, recalling the hope that the agreement that had been signed would prove effective.

He expressed the hope that negotiations would resume in order to reach a lasting agreement, “for the good of the country and also for the good of the world,” since “these situations put peace at risk.”

“No to walls, yes to bridges”

Asked about reports that the Italian military is building a wall in the Gaza Strip, Cardinal Parolin reiterated the Holy See’s position.

“We can sum it up in a slogan: no to walls, yes to bridges,” he said, explaining that this principle also reflects the Vatican’s assessment of the initiative.

“Violence is never productive”

Cardinal Parolin also commented on the violence that broke out in the Italian city of Bologna following the death of Abderrahim Fakir, who was tackled to the ground by police, and he expressed his sorrow over what had happened.

“I simply hope that the truth can be established,” he said, stressing that the necessary investigations should be carried out “in a climate of calm, certainly without violence.”

“Violence is never productive,” he added.

The Church’s role in promoting peace

Finally, Cardinal Parolin reaffirmed the Church’s commitment to promoting dialogue and peace, also in light of the harsh rhetoric that has marked public debate in Italy following the conviction of jeweller Mario Roggero, who has been sentenced for killing 2 robbers and wounding a third after a heist at his shop in 2021.

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“The Church continues to speak words that can be of service,” he said, recalling the Parable of the Sower and expressing the hope that those words “will bear fruit.”

“The Church never tires of repeating this message,” he concluded. “Regardless of the results that may be achieved, it is right to keep insisting on these values, which are essential for peaceful and constructive coexistence.”

A reflection on the Church’s mission of peace

Cardinal Parolin was also among the speakers at the presentation of Antonio Preziosi’s book, Easter of Peace: From John XXIII to Leo XIV Towards the Jubilee of 2033, offering a reflection on the Church’s enduring commitment to peace across the pontificates that followed the Second Vatican Council.

He described a “relay race” linking the Successors of Peter, with each Pope contributing a new “tile” to the “mosaic” of international harmony through both words and concrete gestures in favour of dialogue, reconciliation and peace.

Recalling appeals ranging from Saint John XXIII’s Pacem in terris and Saint Paul VI’s “No more war!” to Pope Francis’ denunciation of a “world war fought piecemeal” and Pope Leo XIV’s insistence that “war is never worthy of humanity,” Cardinal Parolin said the Church must continue to promote what he called an “Easter of peace.”

He also highlighted the ecumenical dimension of Preziosi’s book, expressing hope that the journey towards the Extraordinary Jubilee of 2033 may foster greater Christian unity and strengthen efforts to overcome divisions through dialogue, diplomacy and reconciliation.

Cardinal Parolin intervenes at the book presentation