Pope Francis calls for dialogue and restraint amid growing US-Iran tensions

Pope Francis on Sunday called for dialogue and restraint two days following the assassination oftop Iranian military commanderQasem Suleimani, the 62-year-old head of Iran’s Quds Force,by the United States, according to news agency Reuters.

Speaking at the Sunday Angelus prayer at the Vatican, the pope did not mention Iran by name but spoke of a terrible air of tension that could now be felt in many parts of the world.

"I call on all sides to keep the flame of dialogue and self-restraint alight and ward off the shadow of hostility," the Pope was quoted as saying.

"War only brings death and destruction."

On Friday a US drone strike on a convoy at Baghdad airport killed Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani, drawing promises of harsh revenge by Tehran.