On Saturday morning, Feb. 28, the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran, killing its leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei along with other senior regime figures. The following day, Pope Leo appealed for peace, urging world leaders to stop “the spiral of violence before it becomes an unbridgeable chasm.” This week on “Inside the Vatican,” Veteran Vatican Correspondent Gerard O’Connell explains why he saw Leo’s comments as relatively restrained compared to John Paul II’s at the beginning of the Iraq War.

In the second part of the show, Gerry shares a story from his forthcoming book on the 2025 conclave.

0:00 Intro

2:20 Vatican response to Iran war

7:05 John Paul II on the 2003 Iraq War

9:07 Pope Leo decries 'zeal for war'

10:48 Archbishop Coakley speaks out on war

11:30 On the Christian communities of Tehran

12:50 Pope Leo talks on Hong Kong activist Jimmy Lai

14:18 Cardinal Parolin's statements on the war

19:00 What difference the Vatican make

22:14 Stories from Gerry's new book on the conclave

25:40 Cardinal forgets to give away his phone

Why Pope Leo was ‘economic with words’ on Iran war