Pope asks Iran to act for peace in Middle East

Pope Francis on Tuesdat asked Iran to back peace efforts in the Middle East as the Islamic Republic's emergence from international isolation took a significant step forward with President Hassan Rouhani's first visit to the Vatican.

Fresh from securing the lifting of international sanctions imposed over Iran's nuclear programme, Rouhani spent 40 minutes at the Vatican talking privately to Pope Francis, a strong backer of the deal with Tehran. In a statement afterwards, the Vatican said Francis had urged the Iranian leader to use Iran's important role to promote, together with other countries, "adequate political solutions" to the problems afflicting the region and to help combat terrorism and arms trafficking. "I thank you for your visit and I hope for peace," Francis told his guest at the end of their meeting, when journalists were briefly allowed to listen in. A smiling Rouhani, who presented the pope with a hand-made carpet from the ancient city of Qom, replied with one of Francis's catchphrases. "I ask you to pray for me," he said. "It was a pleasure to meet you and I wish you well in your work." 

 In return for his gift, Rouhani was given a medal depicting St Martin cutting his cloak in half to give to a poorly clothed beggar. The Iranian leader also went away with English and Arabic versions of Francis's extended essay on the environmental challenges faced by the world.