The Holy See welcomed Iran’s historic nuclear deal and expressed hopes that other breakthroughs may be on the horizon. Under the new deal, decades-long sanctions would be lifted in exchange for an agreement by Iran to restrict its nuclear program to peaceful purposes. Federico Lombardi, S.J., the Vatican spokesman, said on July 14 that “the agreement on the Iranian nuclear program is viewed in a positive light by the Holy See,” adding “continued efforts and commitment on the part of all involved will be necessary in order for it to bear fruit.” The chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace also welcomed the agreement in a letter to members of the U.S. Congress. Bishop Oscar Cantú of Las Cruces, N.M., encouraged U.S. lawmakers to “support these efforts to build bridges that foster peace and greater understanding.” He added, “We hope that the full implementation of the agreement will gradually foster an environment in which all parties build mutual confidence and trust so that progress will be made toward greater stability and dialogue in the region.”

This article appears in August 3-10 2015.