Rubio and Pope Leo's sensitive meeting at the Vatican and efforts to reduce tensions over the Iran war
As the differences between the Vatican and the US government over the Iran war and the Middle East crises have become one of the lowest political tensions in recent years, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Pope Leo during a high-profile trip to the Vatican, a meeting that many see as an attempt to repair damaged relations between the White House and the world's Catholic leader. The meeting took place in a situation where Pope Leo had repeatedly warned in recent months of continued war, nuclear threats and increased violence in the region.
According to a statement from the US State Department, the two sides discussed “the situation in the Middle East,” as well as issues related to peace, religious freedom, and humanitarian crises. Washington said the meeting emphasized the strong relationship between the United States and the Holy See and their shared commitment to promoting peace and human dignity.
International media reported that the meeting between Rubio and Pope Leo lasted more than two hours, longer than initially planned, reflecting the sensitivity of the issues raised, especially the Iran war and the recent differences between Donald Trump and the Vatican.
Tensions between the White House and the Vatican have escalated since Pope Leo, the first American-born pope, publicly criticized the ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran and called for a ceasefire and a return to diplomacy. He has also repeatedly warned of the risk of an escalation of the conflict and its humanitarian consequences. In contrast, Donald Trump has launched a series of harsh verbal attacks on the pope in recent weeks, accusing him of being “weak against the Iranian regime.”
Trump even claimed in a radio interview that the Pope would prefer Iran to obtain nuclear weapons, a claim that the Vatican denied, emphasizing that the Catholic Church's position has always been against war and nuclear weapons.
Marco Rubio, himself a well-known Catholic in the US government, tried to keep the atmosphere friendly during the visit. He presented the Pope with a crystal ball shaped like an American football with the US State Department insignia, and said, referring to the Pope's interest in sports: "You love baseball, but this one has the State Department insignia." Rubio also added, with a humorous tone, "What can you get for someone who has everything?"
In return, Pope Leo presented Rubio with a pen made of olive wood, saying, "The olive is clearly a symbol of peace." He also presented the US Secretary of State with a book about Vatican artwork.
The meeting was not limited to Iran. According to reports, the migration crisis, the situation of Christians in Africa, developments in Latin America, and the issue of religious freedom were also raised in the talks between the two sides. Some media outlets have written that the Vatican is concerned about the increasing militarism and strict policies of the US government towards immigrants and political opponents.
Pope Leo has also spoken out in recent weeks about the crackdown on protests in Iran. After a long period of silence, he responded to reports of the killing of Iranian protesters by saying, "I condemn all actions that are unjust. I condemn the taking of human lives."
Political analysts believe that the meeting between Rubio and Pope Leo is more than a ceremonial meeting, it is an attempt to prevent the deepening rift between Washington and the Vatican; a rift that could become wider as the Iran war continues, humanitarian crises in the Middle East increase, and disagreements over US global policies continue.
