Christian activists protest against Vatican: Awarding diplomatic badge to ambassador deepens Iranian wounds
In a scathing letter to Pope Leo XIV and Vatican officials, Christian Activists for a Free Iran described the awarding of the highest diplomatic decoration, the Holy See, to the Islamic Republic of Iran’s ambassador as a “painful and disturbing” move, a move that the group said had sparked widespread backlash among Iranians who have faced years of religious repression, executions, and persecution. The letter, signed by dozens of priests, church leaders, and Christian activists, warns that such symbols, even if performed within the framework of diplomatic ceremonies, could be used by the Iranian government as a propaganda tool and send the wrong message to victims of human rights abuses.
These reactions intensified after the Vatican awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Pius IX to Mohammad Hossein Mokhtari, the Islamic Republic’s ambassador to the Holy See, the highest honor bestowed by the Vatican on a diplomatic activist. Media outlets close to the Iranian government described the move as a sign of the Vatican’s support for “peace and dialogue,” but Vatican diplomatic officials and even the US embassy in the Holy See later clarified that the award is usually given to ambassadors who have served in the Vatican for more than two years and is not considered a sign of political or moral approval.
However, the Christian Activists for a Free Iran organization emphasized in their letter that the issue is not just a formality. Referring to the suppression of protests, the execution of protesters, the pressure on political prisoners, and the systematic persecution of Christians, the authors of the letter wrote: “For a people who have endured years of discrimination, imprisonment, and deprivation, the awarding of the Ordin Piano Cross is not just a ceremonial event.” They warned that such images may hurt the hearts of many Iranians and inadvertently serve the Islamic Republic’s propaganda.
In another part of the letter, the signatories, referring to the symbolic place of the cross in Christian tradition, wrote: “The cross is a reminder of Christ who stood with the condemned, the weak, and the voiceless.” For this reason, they believe, any official honor that bears the name of the cross should be accompanied by sensitivity to the tears of the oppressed, not the glory of the oppressors. The group also called on the Vatican to publicly emphasize that such honors do not mean ignoring violations of religious freedom, the execution of protesters, and the oppression of religious minorities in Iran.
At the same time, the media and international observers have also expressed different positions on the Vatican's move. Some analysts believe that the Vatican's traditional policy is based on maintaining channels of communication with all governments, even those accused of human rights violations; an approach that has been followed in complex international cases before. But critics say that the continuation of such a ceremony in the current circumstances, especially after numerous reports of the repression of protesters and pressure on religious minorities in Iran, could damage the moral credibility of the church and create the impression that the suffering of victims is not a priority.
