Iran congratulates new pope
Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi extended his congratulations to newly-elected Pope Leo XIV, and expressed hope that the new pope will strengthen the role of religious values in promoting justice, peace, and dialogue in an increasingly troubled world.
In a message sent on Friday following the selection of Cardinal Robert Prevost as the 267th leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Araqchi offered his congratulations.
“At a time when the world is plagued as rarely before by injustice and cruelty, poverty and inequality, and war and bloodshed, the global attention to the election of a new pope reflects a shared hope for religion and religious teachings to safeguard lofty moral and human values and to prevent the dominance of moral vices over humanity,” Araqchi wrote in his message.
On Thursday, Cardinal Prevost was elected as the successor to the late Pope Francis after two days of discussions and voting among the cardinals. The new pope, named Leo XIV, is 69 years old and comes from Chicago, Illinois. He is the first American to lead the Catholic Church.