No Scandal - Iranian Ambassador Received Routine Vatican Medal
Mokhtari has served as ambassador since 2023 and received the decoration on Tuesday together with twelve other diplomats.
Iranian state-linked media portrayed the award as a personal recognition by Leo XIV and linked it to the Pope’s criticism of military escalation against Iran.
The Vatican, however, stressed that the decoration was part of a routine diplomatic custom. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said that the Order of Pius IX is traditionally granted to all ambassadors accredited to the Holy See after roughly two years of service.
The medal was not personally handed over by Leo XIV, but by Archbishop Paolo Rudelli of the Secretariat of State. The diploma was signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin.
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