The United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, revealed this Friday that during his meeting with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, he informed the pontiff about the danger that Iran poses to the world, describing the encounter as "very cordial and important."
Rubio made the statements from the U.S. Embassy in Rome, one day after meeting with Pope Leo XIV in the private library of the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican, in a meeting that lasted from 11:15 to 11:30 AM local time.
"I expressed the situation with Iran, conveyed our viewpoint on why this was important and the danger that Iran represents to the world, which is widely recognized," Rubio stated to the press this Friday.
The Secretary of State emphasized the role of the Pope as a spiritual leader: "The Holy Father is above all a spiritual leader; that is his role, and obviously the Church has always acted on behalf of a mission of peace and respect for all humanity."
Rubio described the meeting as "very positive" and emphasized the importance of dialogue: "In the end, it was a very cordial and important meeting, and it is essential to share our viewpoints and explain where we're coming from."
The meeting on Wednesday was the second encounter between Rubio and León XIV; the first took place on May 19, 2025. According to a State Department official, the discussions were "friendly and constructive" and covered the situation in the Middle East and mutual interests in the Western Hemisphere, including a proposal from Rubio to distribute humanitarian aid to Cuba through the Catholic Church.
The meeting took place against a backdrop of diplomatic tensions between Washington and the Holy See, which were exacerbated following Operation Epic Fury, the joint attack by the US and Israel on Iranian nuclear facilities launched on February 28, 2026.
León XIV described that offensive as "unjust, unprovoked, immoral, and illegal" under the Catholic doctrine of just war, which sparked a series of attacks from President Donald Trump against the pontiff.
On April 13, 2026, Trump launched a harsh attack against the Pope on Truth Social, labeling him as "weak on crime" and "terrible on foreign policy," and even questioned his legitimacy as pontiff.
Trump also repeatedly accused the Pope of implicitly supporting Iran in obtaining nuclear weapons, a claim that Leo XIV categorically rejected on May 6: "The Church has spoken against all nuclear weapons for years, so there is no doubt about that."
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed in March 2026 that Iran possessed enough uranium enriched to 60% to produce approximately nine nuclear bombs, a fact that reinforces the central argument Rubio presented to the pontiff during the meeting.
The Press Office of the Holy See described the meeting as a exchange of views on the regional and international situation, "with particular attention to countries affected by wars, political tensions, and difficult humanitarian situations, as well as the need to work tirelessly to promote peace."
Filed under: