Rubio Defends Trump Remarks on Pope Leo Over Iran Before Vatican Trip

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Meet with Pope Leo XIV at Vatican

A meeting is scheduled between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Thursday. Prior to the meeting, comments made by President Donald Trump regarding the pope’s stance on the Iran war have been clarified by Rubio.

According to reports, Trump had stated that the pope was “endangering a lot of Catholics” due to his opposition to the war in Iran. However, Rubio has disputed this characterization, stating that the president’s concerns were rooted in the potential threat Iran posed to various regions with significant Catholic populations.

Rubio also pointed out that the US president questioned why it would be beneficial for Iran to possess nuclear weapons, citing rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and accusations that Tehran was “holding the world hostage” and endangering commercial shipping.

The exchange comes ahead of a meeting between Rubio and Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Thursday. The US ambassador to the Holy See stated that the meeting is expected to be “frank”, indicating an effort to address tensions between Washington and the Catholic Church.

Pope Leo XIV has not explicitly stated that Iran should have nuclear weapons, but has opposed the war in Iran, which Trump claims aims to stop Tehran’s nuclear program. The dispute between Trump and Pope Leo XIV began in March after the pope spoke out against the war and criticized the use of Christian rhetoric to justify military action.

The Vatican’s top diplomat, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, stated that the pope will continue to speak out on issues related to peace and dialogue, regardless of external comments. Rubio is also set to meet with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Friday, who has defended the pope’s stance on various issues.

Source: Al Jazeera