Rubio Calls Vatican Meeting ‘Very Cordial’ Amid Iran Tensions
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- Rubio said his meeting with Pope Leo was “very cordial.”
- Pope Leo was described by Rubio as a spiritual leader whose role is to “play” and whose church “has always interacted.”
- Rubio met Pope Leo earlier this week, as reported in the May 9 2026 article.
- White House faced tensions with the Vatican over the Iran war, which framed the meeting.
- Sarah Davis authored the piece, publishing it on May 9 2026 at 8:01 AM ET.
Why it matters: Rubio's upbeat framing shows the Vatican remains a diplomatic interlocutor despite the White House–Vatican friction over the Iran war, preserving a channel for potential mediation and signalling that the United States still values the Pope’s moral influence on the conflict.
