Despite numerous calls for a diplomatic solution of the conflict between the U.S. and Israel with Iran since before last June’s attack of Iran by Israel and the U.S., the Trump Administration, without Congressional approval, has with Israel’s urging, initiated a joint war against Iran. No matter the shifting justifications for this war given by the Trump Administration, or what one thinks about the Iranian government, this war is an unspeakable affront against God and a crime against humanity which must be absolutely condemned and stopped now!
In talks held between U.S. and Iranian officials prior to the war, the Trump Administration called on Iran to capitulate to U.S. demands or face military reprisals. U.S. officials were not pursuing a true diplomatic solution, but instead its own and the nuclear armed state of Israel’s imperial ambitions of Middle East domination.
The U.S.-Israeli initiated war against Iran resulted in the deaths of Iran’s supreme leader and other military officials. To date (March 16) over 1,400 Iranians have been killed, including 175 school children and staff who died on February 28, 2026 from the U.S.-Israel bombing of the Shajarah Tayyebeh girls’ school in Minab, Iran. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/us-likely-responsible-for-strike-on-iranian-girls-school-that-killed-175-analysis-shows/ar-AA1XEHTu
Over 15,000 sites have been struck https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/watch-hesgeth-says-more-than-15000-enemy-targets-have-been-hit-in-iran-conflict and more than 10,000 civilian sites across Iran have been damaged in U.S.-Israeli attacks. https://www.democracynow.org/2026/3/11/headlines
Numerous people have been injured and displaced. Iran has responded with retaliatory strikes in the region. Casualties also include over 850 in Lebanon, at least 15 in Israel, 13 US soldiers and 20 killed in Gulf states. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/1/us-israel-attacks-on-iran-death-toll-and-injuries-live-tracker.
As a result of Israeli and U.S. bombings of oil depots, Tehran residents have reported toxic air and soot covering streets and cars as well as well as throat pain and burning eyes. The World Health Organization’s Director said, “Damage to petroleum facilities in Iran risks contaminating food, water and air — hazards that can have severe health impacts especially on children, older people, and people with pre-existing medical conditions.” https://www.democracynow.org/2026/3/10/headlines
The U.S. has also bombed key sites of Iran’s main oil export hub. https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/03/13/world/iran-war-trump-oil-israel
The financial cost of the war is staggering with estimates that the war is costing up to $1 billion a day. https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2026/03/10/why-trumps-war-with-iran-is-costing-nearly-1-billion-a-day-at-least/
Instead of heeding UN and papal appeals, and the call of other nations and faith leaders, numerous NGO’s and many peace organizations and people of faith and conscience in the U.S. and worldwide to stop the war and pursue a diplomatic solution, the Trump Administration and Israeli government has intensified it. This war has now escalated into a wider Middle East conflict, and Israel has expanded its military intervention in Lebanon. The Trump Administration has called for unconditional surrender of Iran and has warned that “Iran may face complete destruction and certain death.” https://www.yahoo.com/news/videos/trump-warns-iran-may-face-200532940.html
Secretary of War Hegseth asserted that it will continue its relentless bombing of Iran: “Death and destruction from the sky. All day long.” U.S. pilots “have maximum authorities granted personally by the president and yours truly.” …Rules of engagement “are designed to unleash American power, not shackle it…We can sustain this fight easily, for as long as we need to…We will take all the time we need to make sure we succeed.” https://www.timesofisrael.com/hegseth-iran-is-toast-and-the-us-and-israel-will-rain-down-death-and-destruction/
On March 8th, the Pentagon and Israeli military stated they were considering deploying special forces into Iran to secure its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. https://www.defencetoday.com/global-security/special-operations/us-and-israel-considering-special-forces-raids-to-secure-irans-stockpile-of-highly-enriched-uranium/
As of this writing. the Pentagon announced the deployment of 5,000 Marines to the Middle East. https://www.newstarget.com/2026-03-16-us-deploys-5000-marines-trump-vows-end-conflict.html
Christian Nationalists have cited biblical justification for what is described as a “Holy War.” https://www.democracynow.org/2026/3/9/military_religious_freedom A combat-unit commander told non-commissioned officers at a briefing March 2nd that the Iran war is part of God’s plan and that President Donald Trump was “anointed by Jesus to light the signal fire in Iran to cause Armageddon and mark his return to Earth,” according to independent journalist Jonathan Larsen as published on Substack.
The Military Religious Freedom Foundation, an organization that has been working against religious extremism in the United States military for two decades has reported more than 200 new complaints since the initial strikes against Iran, with members across all services claiming that high-ranking officers are tying the mission overseas to fulfilling a Christian prophecy. That complaint was made by a non-commissioned officer and provided to the MRFF…Upwards of 95% of MRFF members are Christians. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2026/03/03/military-officers-accused-of-framing-iran-war-biblical-mandate.html
On March 5, 2026, some pastors and faith leaders were hosted by the White House to pray for the president and military as they wage war against Iran. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-hosts-pastors-from-across-us-at-white-house-as-faith-leaders-pray-over-him/ar-AA1XCWcw
To be clear, there can be no Gospel justification for this war. It is a heresy to claim so. Jesus commands His followers for all time to reject all that is contrary to God’s commandment to love our neighbor. Moreover, He commands us to love our enemies and never to kill, forever put away the sword, to renounce idolatry and empire, and resist all violence and killing.
Furthermore, Jesus commands us “to take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.” As the only country who has ever used nuclear weapons, and which has since threatened to use them again against its adversaries, the U.S. must take the log out of its own eye and repent for the nuclear sin and its warmaking. The U.S. cannot legitimately call to account the wrongdoing of others until it first repents for its own wrongdoing.
In the words of Pope Francis, “war is a sacrilege.” Pope Francis also asserted that the very possession of nuclear weapons is immoral. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2019-11/pope-in-hiroshima-use-and-possession-of-atomic-energy-for-war-i.html
In light of the perilous Iran war, the words of Pope Francis need to be heeded by all people of faith. In April 2022, Against War: The Courage to Build Peace by Pope Francis was published. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2022-04/pope-francis-war-introduction-book-courage-peace.html
In the introduction he writes: “War is a sacrilege that wreaks havoc on what is most precious on our earth: human life, the innocence of little ones, the beauty of creation…war is madness, war is a cancer that feeds off itself, engulfs everything… Every war represents not only a defeat of politics but also a shameful surrender in the face of the forces of evil…
I have spoken of World War III, saying that we are already living it, though only in pieces. Those pieces have become bigger and bigger…So many wars are going on in the world right now…
When people allow themselves to be devoured by this monster represented by war everyone loses…
we destroy God’s creatures, we commit sacrilege and prepare a future of death for our children and grandchildren…Greed, intolerance, ambition for power, violence are motives that advance the decision for war, and these motives are often justified by a war ideology that forgets the immeasurable dignity of human life, of every human life, and the respect and care we owe it…War is pure madness, its only goal is destruction, and it develops and grows through destruction…If we had memory, we would know that war, before it reaches the front lines, must be stopped in hearts. Hate, before it is too late, must be eradicated from hearts. And in order to do so, we need dialogue, negotiation, listening, diplomatic capacity and creativity, far-sighted politics capable of building a new system of coexistence that is no longer based on weapons, on the power of weapons, on deterrence…There are millions of people who do not aspire to war, who do not justify war, but ask for peace…Wars must be stopped and they will only be stopped if we stop “fueling” them.”
U.S. military and nuclear policy endanger the world, not Iran’s potential nuclear capability which the Trump Administration uses to justify its military actions and claims to have “obliterated” after its attack last June. The Trump Administration’s military action against Iran marks yet another deadly chapter of U.S. aggression in the Middle East and has striking similarities to the war the U.S. has previously waged against Iraq. In both instances, false claims regarding potential nuclear threats posed by Iraq and now Iran were used to justify the attacks by a U.S. Administration. These are manufactured wars based on fabricated justifications.
During the first Trump Administration, the U.S. withdrew from the Iran Nuclear Deal and the INF Treaty with Russia. There would never have been a manufactured crisis of the U.S. attack against Iran last June, or now, if the Iran Nuclear Deal had still been in place.
Moreover, in its 2019 Doctrine for Joint Nuclear Operations, policy makers from the Trump Administration declared that a limited nuclear war could be waged and won. https://fas.org/publication/nuclear-operations/
This doctrine was the latest manifestation of a long-held existing Pentagon policy positing that the U.S. must be prepared at all times to use whatever military force is necessary, including nuclear weapons, to protect its vital interests in the world.
On March 5th, a prayer service calling for an end to the war against Iran was held outside the Cannon House Office Building across from the U.S. Capitol (see attached photo). During the service two veterans spoke, Anthony Aguilar, a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel and special forces officers with the Green Beret who served for 25 years, and Josie Guilbeau, a former Army All Source Intel Analyst who served for 17 years. As Catholics, they both condemned the war against Iran as immoral and illegal and demanded that the U.S. and Israel stop it immediately.
On March 7th, Chicago Cardinal Cupich issued a statement criticizing a social media video posted by the White House Friday featuring footage from the ongoing war in Iran spliced with scenes from action movies. He stated: “A real war with real death and real suffering being treated like it’s a video game — it’s sickening.” He also noted that the “moral crisis we are facing is not just a matter of the war itself, but also how we, the observers, view violence, for war now has become a spectator sport or strategy game.” https://www.ncronline.org/news/cardinal-cupich-condemns-white-house-video-about-iran-war
And on March 9th, Washington Cardinal Robert McElroy asserted that war in Iran is not “morally legitimate.” https://www.ncronline.org/news/washington-cardinal-says-us-war-iran-fails-meet-catholic-just-war-principles
The Iran war is immoral and illegal and Christians should not participate and support it. They should heed the command of Jesus and follow the example of St. Maximillian and St. Oscar Romero. March 12th marks the martyrdom of St. Maximillian, a 21-year-old North African who refused to serve in the Roman army because of his faith and was beheaded in 295. And March 24th marks the martyrdom of Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero. In his sermon on March 23, 1980, the day before he was assassinated while celebrating the Eucharist, Archbishop Romero proclaimed: “…Against any order a man may give to kill, God’s law must prevail, “You Shall Not Kill.” …No soldier is obliged to obey an order contrary to the law of God. No one is obliged to obey an immoral law.” https://www.romerotrust.org.uk/1980-homilies/the-church-serves-personal-communal-and-transcendent-liberation/ We need to act on St. Romero’s admonition. Moreover, soldiers should refuse to fight and kill and disobey immoral and unlawful orders, especially now regarding the Iran war.
Christians, Muslims and Jews are all descendants of Abraham and children of God. During this Holy Season of Lent and Ramadan, and as the Holy Days of Passover is approaching from April 1st-9th, peace should be waged not war. Church leaders and all people of faith and conscience must urgently demand that the Trump Administration and those members of Congress who support war and regime change in Iran stop the war now and, along with Israel, pursue a path of peace with Iran.
Dr. King exhorts us: “The choice today is…either nonviolence or nonexistence.”
