Skip next section Trump says pope must understand Iran threatApril 17, 2026Trump says pope must understand Iran threat US President Donald Trump continued to rail against Pope Leo XIV, telling reporters that Leo could say what he likes about world issues, but that the Pontiff needs to understand the realities of a "nasty world."
The US president said it ​was "very ‌important" for Pope ‌Leo ‌to understand that ​Iran is a ​threat ⁠to ​the ​world.
Trump's feud with the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics ranges from topics such as the Iran war to immigration policy.
Trump has accused the pope of being "weak" and "wrong" in recent days, the US president denied that he was "fighting" with the Leo, saying he had "nothing against" him.
"The pope has to understand Iran has killed more than 42,000 people over the last few months," the president said. "They were totally unarmed protesters. The pope has to understand that. This is the real world, it's a nasty world."
Pope Leo has responded to the president's criticism by standing by his remarks, adding that he has a "moral duty" to speak out against war. He has called Trump's threat to attack Iranian civilization "unacceptable."
"The pope can ‌say what he ‌wants, ​and I want him to say what ​he wants, but I can disagree," Trump ⁠told ​reporters.
https://p.dw.com/p/5CJW7Skip next section Iran welcomes 10-day cesefire in LebanonApril 16, 2026Iran welcomes 10-day cesefire in LebanonIran's Foreign Ministry welcomed the ceasefire agreed upon by Israel and Lebanon, calling it part of an earlier two-week ceasefire deal between Tehran and the United States to pause the war in the Middle East.
According to the state news agency IRNA, ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei "welcomed the announcement of the ceasefire in Lebanon and noted that the cessation of the war in Lebanon was part of the ceasefire understanding between Iran and the United States, mediated by Pakistan."
Earlier, US President Donald Trump said the truce would begin at 9 p.m. GMT (midnight Friday, local time, in Lebanon and Israel).
Gunfire erupted in Beirut's southern suburbs as a ceasefire with Israel took effect, according to AFP journalists and footage from AFPTV.
https://p.dw.com/p/5CJRvSkip next section US says Lebanon commits to curtailing HezbollahApril 16, 2026US says Lebanon commits to curtailing HezbollahThe US State Department has said the ceasefire reached between Israel and Lebanon on Thursday involves a commitment by the Lebanese government to prevent any Hezbollah attacks on Israel.
"The Government of Lebanon will take meaningful steps to prevent Hezbollah... from carrying out any attacks, operations, or hostile activities against Israeli targets," the State Department said in a statement.
"Both countries recognize the significant challenges faced by the Lebanese state from non-state armed groups, which undermine Lebanon’s sovereignty and threaten regional stability. Both countries understand that those groups’ activities mus