In a Sunday address at St. Peter’s Square, the Pope welcomed the U.S.-brokered deal signed last week by Yerevan and Baku, ending decades of hostility over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. He urged both nations to remain committed to dialogue and healing, while also inviting the international community to support their transition toward peace.

“Let this be a model for other regions torn by war that peace is not only possible but necessary,” Pope Leo said, addressing thousands gathered at the Vatican.

Beyond the Caucasus, the pontiff also turned attention to Haiti, where a deepening humanitarian crisis continues to unfold amid political instability and widespread violence. He called for “urgent and coordinated humanitarian aid” to the Haitian people, citing the “unbearable suffering of families and children.”

Pope Leo also marked the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, reflecting on the moral obligation to remember the horrors of war and recommit to peace and nuclear disarmament.

“Hiroshima must never happen again. Humanity cannot afford to forget,” he said.

The Pope’s remarks underscored a broader call for global solidarity at a time when geopolitical fractures, armed conflicts, and humanitarian emergencies are testing international cooperation.

Conclusion:

With his focus spanning the Caucasus, the Caribbean, and Japan, Pope Leo continues to position the Vatican as a moral voice in global diplomacy and humanitarian response urging unity over division, and compassion over conflict.

The statement came from Ali Akbar Velayati, senior foreign policy adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during remarks on Saturday. Velayati emphasized Tehran’s strategic interest in the South Caucasus and its alignment with Armenia and Russia, stating that the proposed corridor threatens regional balance.

“We will not allow any geopolitical changes in the region that damage our interests or isolate our allies,” Velayati said, adding that Iran is prepared to act “with or without Russia’s involvement.”

The corridor, which aims to link Azerbaijan’s mainland to its exclave of Nakhchivan through Armenian territory, is part of a broader U.S.-brokered effort to normalize relations between Baku and Yerevan following years of conflict. The initiative has been welcomed by several regional actors, including Georgia and Turkey, as a potential step toward lasting peace and improved connectivity in the South Caucasus.

However, Iran has long expressed concern that such a route could weaken its influence and disrupt long-standing regional dynamics. Tehran views Armenia as a buffer against NATO-aligned Turkey and Azerbaijan, and it has traditionally opposed any arrangement that bypasses Iranian territory in regional trade and transport.

The decades-long conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region reignited in recent years. A Russian-brokered ceasefire in 2020 failed to resolve key territorial disputes, but U.S.-led diplomacy has recently gained momentum. Still, Iran’s growing resistance adds a new layer of complexity to the fragile peace process.

Conclusion:

With Iran openly opposing the corridor plan and reaffirming its alliance with Armenia and Russia, the U.S.-brokered agreement faces a major geopolitical test one that could either accelerate regional integration or revive old rivalries in a volatile crossroads of Eurasia.