TEHRAN- Miroslaw Wachowski, the Vatican’s Under-Secretary for Relations with States, and Ali Bagheri Kani, the Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs, have conducted discussions.

The talks were held in the Vatican City on Friday.

The two sides discussed current events in the Gaza Strip and the Palestine issue in particular, as well as bilateral, regional, and worldwide topics.

In his recent stance taken on the situation of Gaza, Pope Francis said, “War is a crime against humanity.”

Pope Francis called all forms of war a “crime against humanity,” according to Vatican news on January 14. “War itself is a crime against humanity. People need peace. The world needs peace.”

Last year in a message to the Pope on Christmas Eve, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi slammed the Israeli regime’s attack on Gaza as a huge threat to human civilization and asked for immediate action by the international community to halt the slaughter of Palestinians.

Raisi also emphasized the necessity for international organizations to take a strong action in support of Gaza in his message.

Also, during a phone call with Pope Francis, Iran’s president strongly condemned the massacre of Palestinian women and children by the Israeli regime in its brutal attack on the besieged Gaza Strip, describing it as “the biggest genocide of the century.”

He slammed those countries that support Israel’s crimes despite the global outcry against them, saying, “What response can the countries supporting this regime give to the people of the world in the face of such shocking crimes?”

Elsewhere in his remarks, the president described the Zionists’ crimes against the oppressed women and children of Gaza, including its attacks on al-Mamadani Hospital and the Jabalia refugee camp, as clear examples of “crimes against humanity.”

The president went on to say that “supporting the oppressed people of Palestine is in accordance with the teachings of all Abrahamic religions, including Christianity.” 

The president also appreciated Pope Francis’ stance on the need to establish an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Raisi then asked Pope Francis to remind Israel’s Western supporters to speed up efforts to end the Israeli regime’s crimes in Gaza.