“Your seat”.
Pope Francis met with Iran's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammad Javad Zarif, at the Vatican amid escalating conflict between Israel and Palestine in the Middle East.
The meeting between the two was very cordial and there was no lack of gifts such as these handmade crafts.
“How beautiful. How nice. Thank you.”
The Pope gave the minister his message of peace as well as the principal texts of his papacy. Among them is the document on human fraternity which he signed jointly with the prominent Sunni Muslim leader Ahmad Al-Tayyeb.
After the meeting, the Iranian minister met with the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
“Thank you very much Your Eminence for receiving us.”
“It's a pleasure, it is a pleasure. Welcome you and your delegation.”
Iran and the Vatican established diplomatic relations in 1954 during the pontificate of Pius XII. It has proven a delicate bond to maintain due to changing relationship within Islam among Sunni and Shia Muslims.
The President of Iran, Hassan Rouhani, visited the Pope in 2016 during a very different time. Then, jihadist attacks in Europe and tensions over the nuclear deal were main focus of their conversation.
Javier Romero
TR: Justin McLellan
VM
