The so-called "12-Day War" has also caused concern and fear in Iraq. This was confirmed by the Patriarch of the Chaldean Church, Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, in a brief interview with Fides. The Iraqi Cardinal sees recent events as a further sign of the crisis in the international order. Faced with the scenario of an "endless war" and the bombings justified as instruments to bring about regime change, the Cardinal recalls the Iraqi experience, emphasizing that "regime change is a matter for the citizens of the country" and that such "regime change" strategies "can only worsen the situation."

Bombs from Israel and the US on Iran, Iranian missiles against Israel and US military bases. Patriarch Sako, how do you view the events in neighboring countries or on the border with Iraq, and how are the Iraqi people experiencing all this?

CARDINAL SAKO: What has happened is sad. We have all experienced difficult moments of worry and fear. The world has lost its international order. Now we must regain common sense and reject the discourse of hatred, violence, and war. It is a pity if we destroy life and what has been built. Peace is a gift; we must welcome it and preserve it with enthusiasm, making the defense of peace an authentic life commitment.

In recent days, the bombing on Iran has been portrayed as an operation designed to weaken Iranian power and lead to the country's collapse. What do you think of such hypothetical strategies, also in light of the experiences in Iraq?

CARDINAL SAKO: The sovereignty of countries must be respected, and problems should be resolved through sincere and courageous dialogue. Regime change is a matter for the citizens of a country. Imposing another regime would only worsen the situation. Change must come from within, if the citizens deem it necessary. Twenty-two years after the fall of the regime in Iraq, there is still no true citizenship, no law, no security, and no stability. Corruption and sectarianism persist.

What can Christians in Iraq place their hope in at this time and in the face of these scenarios?

CARDINAL SAKO: Christians, like all Iraqis, have suffered greatly because of ISIS. Such suffering leads to exodus and emigration. To this day, we are marginalized, our villages are occupied by militias, and the parliamentary seats reserved for Christians are being usurped... For all these reasons, a better future for Christians seems elusive. But despite what we have suffered, we feel we have a vocation in this land, with our faith. Therefore, we can remain confident and look toward a better future.