Pope Francis welcomed Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to the Vatican on Tuesday.
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The two said during their 40-minute meeting, they discussed the problems in the region, a reference to the wars in Iraq and Syria.
A Vatican statement released after the meeting said there is a “relevant role Iran is called on to play” to help to solve some of the region’s most pressing crises.
Rouhani is on a trip to Europe, looking to usher in a new era of warmer ties – after years of crippling sanctions imposed by the West over Iran’s nuclear programme.
Rouhani flew into Rome at the head of a delegation of more than 100 businessmen and ministers. Pope Francis referred to how the Iranian president and his government are attempting to improve their image in the global arena following the nuclear agreement.
According to media reports, France has baulked at making a similar placatory gesture, leaving diplomats preparing for Rouhani’s visit to Paris from Wednesday with a major protocol headache.
Rouhani’s two-day visit to Rome is his first foreign trip since the European Union and the United States lifted economic sanctions against his country.Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, for his part, touted the conclusion of bilateral agreements as just the beginning of cooperation between the two countries.
Rouhani’s visit to Italy is the first for an Iranian president in at least a decade.
It was the first state visit by an Iranian president to the Vatican since 1999, although President Mohammad Khatami was among the many world leaders who attended the funeral of Pope John Paul in 2005.
On Monday, he agreed on $18.4 billion worth of business deals with Italian companies.
Iranian Trade Minister Mehdi Karbasian, who is travelling with Rouhani, told Iranian news agency Tasnim on Monday that contracts worth $5.4 billion were ready for investment with Italy in the sector.
While diplomacy will figure high on his agenda, trade ties are likely to dominate the headlines, with Iran announcing plans to buy more than 160 European planes, mainly from Airbus, on the eve of President Rouhani’s departure.
The pope said the gesture represents a sign of brotherhood.
Nuclear-related sanctions on Iran were lifted on the condition that country abides by the framework set, however, sanctions related to terrorism, human rights abuses and ballistic missiles remain.
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While Italy was not involved in the talks about the nuclear programme, France was and it took a hard line towards Iran in the negotiations. Iran’s president has paid a call on Pope Francis at the Vatican…
