Pope Leo urges Trump to find ’off-ramp’ to end Iran war

April 1 (Reuters) - Pope Leo ​urged U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday to look ‌for an "off-ramp" to end the Iran war, in a rare direct appeal from the pontiff as the regional conflict expands.

"I'm told that President Trump has recently ​stated that he would like to end the ​war," said Leo, the first pope from the United ⁠States.

"Hopefully he's looking for an off-ramp," the pope told ​journalists outside his residence in Castel Gandolfo, near Rome. "Hopefully ​he's looking for a way to decrease the amount of violence."

Leo, who is known for choosing his words carefully, rarely makes direct appeals ​to national leaders but he has been stepping up ​criticism of the Iran war in recent weeks.

Leo, who is known for choosing his words carefully, rarely makes direct appeals ​to national leaders but he has been stepping up ​criticism of the Iran war in recent weeks.

On Sunday, in unusually forceful ‌remarks, the ⁠pope said that God rejects the prayers of leaders who start wars and have "hands full of blood".

The month-long Iran conflict, started by joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran on February ​28, has spread ​across the ⁠region, killing thousands, disrupting energy supplies and threatening to send the global economy into a ​tailspin.

Leo lamented on Tuesday the number of people ​who ⁠have been killed and said he hoped the violence could end before Easter on April 5.

"There have been so many ⁠deaths, ​including innocent children," the pope said. "Let's ​continually appeal for peace."

"There are too many people who promote fighting, violence (and) ​war," said Leo.