Iranian religious leaders, US bishops condemn terrorism, weapons of mass destruction

August 25, 2016

Four US bishops met recently in Rome with five Iranian religious leaders and issued a joint declaration condemning terrorism.

Bishop Oscar Cantú, chairman of the US bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace, and Cardinal Theodore McCarrick led the delegation that represented the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

“We regard the development and use of weapons of mass destruction and acts of terrorism as immoral,” the signatories stated. “We call on all nations to reject acquiring such weapons and call on those who possess them to rid themselves of these indiscriminate weapons, including chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons.”

“For similar reasons, we oppose all acts of terrorism, especially those that directly target innocent civilians, whether the perpetrator is a state, a non-state group, or an individual,” they continued. “We also reject indiscriminate sanctions and other policies that impose harm on innocent civilians, especially the most vulnerable.”

The signatories also condemned “the forced expulsion of people from their homelands” and lamented “the spread of extremist ideologies, often fueled by superficial and erroneous readings of religious texts, that negate the inherent worth and dignity of every person, regardless of religious belief.”

 

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Further information:

• Joint Declaration of U.S. and Iranian Religious Leaders (USCCB)
• U.S. Catholic and Iranian Religious Leaders Unite in Call for Promotion of Culture of Encounter, Dialogue and Peace (USCCB)