Why the Vatican keeps an open line to Iran

Cardinal Parolin’s call with President Pezeshkian comes amid expectations Iran could soon launch an attack on Israel - how far back do Vatican relations go with the Islamic republic?

The Vatican’s top diplomat cautioned against actions that would escalate conflict in the Middle East in a Monday morning phone call with Iran’s new president.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian and Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin. Khamenei.ir via Wikimedia (CC BY 4.0) and Saeima via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Cardinal Pietro Parolin’s Au…