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The Vatican press office has clarified that an award given to the Iranian ambassador to the Holy See is not an exclusive honor, but a customary award routinely given to ambassadors after two years of service.
The clarification came after several Iranian outlets reported May 12 that Pope Leo XIV had granted the Vatican’s highest diplomatic honor to the Iranian ambassador, prompting social media criticism of the pope.
What is the award the Iranian ambassador received? Where does it rank among Vatican diplomatic honors? Does it say anything about the pope’s stance on political issues?
The Pillar explains.
What happened?
On May 12, Mohammad Hossein Mokhtari, Iran’s ambassador to the Holy See, received the Grand Cross of the Papal Order of Pius IX along with 12 other ambassadors accredited to the Holy See.
Iranian media described the order as being “among the Vatican’s most distinguished knighthoods,” and “typically conferred upon ambassadors and prominent figures who have played a significant role in strengthening diplomatic ties and serving the cause of peace and dialogue.”
Some social media posts claimed that the pope had personally granted the award to the Iranian ambassador, while one Iranian outlet said that
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