Tehran, Iran — Iran’s foreign ministry on Monday called Pope Francis’ trip to neighboring Iraq “very good” and “constructive,” and described his meeting with the country’s top Shiite official as conveying inter-religious peace.
Pope Francis met Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani — the authority for most Shiite Muslims around the world — in the Iraqi city of Najaf during the first-ever visit to the country by a pontiff.
“The Pope’s visit to Iraq was a very good and important visit,” ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh told reporters at a press conference.
The “constructive” trip was made possible thanks to a “calm and secure Iraq,” he said.
Khatibzadeh’s comments represent t…
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