Iran calls Pope’s Iraq visit ‘good’ and ‘constructive’

TEHRAN: Iran’s foreign ministry on Monday called Pope Francis’ trip to neighbouring 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 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.