Pope Francis is set to meet Iran’s president, Hassan Rouhani, this morning after a landmark nuclear deal praised by the pontiff as bringing hope for the future. 


Rouhani is scheduled to arrive at the Vatican late in the morning for a private audience with the pope, a day after arriving in the Italian capital for high-level diplomatic and business talks. 


The meeting on Tuesday (Jan. 26), the first between a pope and an Iranian leader since 1999, had been set for November, but Rouhani’s European trip was postponed after the Paris terror attacks. 


The Iranian president’s visit to Europe comes after a historic agreement was signed by Tehran that requires it to curtail its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. 


Francis cited the deal as one of the key achievements of 2015 "which give solid hope for the future," along with the Paris climate change deal. 


"I think first of the so-called Iran nuclear deal, which I hope will contribute to creating a climate of détente in the region," the pope told the Holy See diplomatic corps earlier this month. 


The agreement will likely be addressed by Francis during his meeting with Rouhani, while other possible areas of discussion include the Syrian conflict and the persecution of Christians in the Middle East. 


The meeting between the pope and the president will be the first of its kind since 1999, when St. John Paul II met with President Mohammad Khatami. Critics of Iran sharply criticized that meeting. 


The Iranian president also attended John Paul II’s funeral in 2005. 


Rouhani’s appointment at the Vatican will follow a Monday meeting with Italy’s prime minister, Matteo Renzi, and the country’s president, Sergio Mattarella. 


The Iran delegation includes more than 100 officials and business leaders, who are expected to sign deals worth millions of dollars during their European tour. After their stay in Italy, the delegates will travel on to France, where Rouhani is to meet French President Francois Hollande

Source: NNA