Pope Leo XIV has made a rare remark about the war in Iran as he urged Donald Trump to find an “off-ramp”. The leader of the Catholic world briefly discussed Operation Epic Fury – the name given to the military operation being carried out in the Middle East by Washington and Tel Aviv – while speaking to journalists outside his residence in Castel Gandolfo.

He said: “I’m told that President Trump has recently stated that he would like to end the war. Hopefully he’s looking for an off-ramp. Hopefully he’s looking for a way to decrease the amount of violence.”

On March 1, just hours after the first strikes had hit Iran, the first US pope said, addressing faithful in St Peter’s Square: “Stability and peace are not achieved through mutual threats, nor through the use of weapons, which sow destruction, suffering, and death, but only through reasonable, sincere, and responsible dialogue.

“Faced with the possibility of a tragedy of enormous proportions, I address to the parties involved a heartfelt appeal to assume the moral responsibility to stop the spiral of violence before it becomes an irreparable abyss!”

This comes as President Trump has signalled the military action in Iran may come to an end soon, as the “hard part is done”.

Lashing out at allies, including the UK, he said in a Truth Social message this morning: “All of those countries that can’t get jet fuel because of the Strait of Hormuz, like the United Kingdom, which refused to get involved in the decapitation of Iran, I have a suggestion for you: Number 1, buy from the U.S., we have plenty, and Number 2, build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT.

“You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the U.S.A. won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us. Iran has been, essentially, decimated. The hard part is done. Go get your own oil.”

Mr Trump has criticised NATO members over the past weeks for a perceived lack of support for the US operation in the Middle East.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously said the US objectives had been achieved ahead of schedule, adding Washington expects to finish its operations in Iran in the “next couple of weeks”.

The war in Iran has prompted retaliatory attacks from Tehran against Gulf states as well as a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, which has sparked energy crisis fears.