Rubio’s Vatican talks discussed efforts to reach ‘durable peace’ in Middle East

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed “efforts to achieve a durable peace in the Middle East” in talks at the Vatican on Thursday aimed at easing tensions following President Donald Trump’s criticisms of Pope Leo XIV.

Mr Rubio met Leo and afterwards Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin in a visit that lasted two-and-a-half hours.

US State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said Mr Rubio and Leo discussed the situation in the Middle East “and topics of mutual interest in the Western Hemisphere”.

“The meeting underscored the strong relationship between the United States and the Holy See and their shared commitment to promoting peace and human dignity,” he said.

In a separate statement about the Parolin meeting, Mr Pigott said the two diplomats discussed “ongoing humanitarian efforts in the Western Hemisphere and efforts to achieve a durable peace in the Middle East. The discussion reflected the enduring partnership between the United States and the Holy See in advancing religious freedom,” the statement said.

Mr Rubio opened the fence-mending visit to the Vatican on Thursday after Mr Trump’s broadsides against the Pope, and the US-Israeli war in Iran angered the Holy See and sparked ongoing sparring between the two American leaders.

Mr Rubio’s meeting was complicated at the last minute by Mr Trump’s latest criticism of the Chicago-born pope.

Leo criticised Mr Trump’s misrepresentations of his views on Iran and nuclear weapons and said that he was merely preaching the biblical message of peace.

Cardinal Parolin on the eve of the visit had strongly defended Leo and criticised Mr Trump’s attacks in understated diplomatic terms.

“Attacking him like that or criticising what he does seems a bit strange to me, to say the least,” Cardinal Parolin said on Wednesday.

The tensions began when Mr Trump criticised Leo on social media last month, saying the Pope was soft on crime and terrorism for comments about the administration’s immigration policies and deportations as well as the Iran war.

Leo then said God does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war.

Later, Mr Trump posted a social media image appearing to liken himself to Jesus Christ, which was deleted after a backlash.

He has refused to apologise to Leo and has sought to explain away the post by saying he thought the image was of him as a doctor.

Mr Rubio said Mr Trump’s recent criticisms of Leo were rooted in his opposition to Iran potentially obtaining a nuclear weapon, which he said could be used against millions of Catholics and other Christians.

Mr Trump “doesn’t understand why anybody, leave aside the Pope, the president and I, for that matter, I think most people, I cannot understand why anyone would think that it’s a good idea for Iran to ever have a nuclear weapon”, Mr Rubio told said on Tuesday at the White House.

Leo has never said Iran should obtain nuclear weapons and that the Catholic Church “for years has spoken out against all nuclear weapons, so there is no doubt there”.

“The mission of the church is to preach the Gospel, to preach peace. If someone wants to criticise me for announcing the Gospel, let him do it with the truth,” Leo said on Tuesday, after Mr Trump again accused him of being “OK” with Iran having a nuclear weapon.