Ahmadinejad wants Pope Benedict to visit Tehran
Feb 13, 2012 1:38:37 GMT -5
Post by PrisonerOfHope on Feb 13, 2012 1:38:37 GMT -5
Iran’s President Ahmadinejad wants Pope Benedict to visit Tehran
By Philip Pullella
February 9, 2012
vatican iran pope benedict president ahmadinejad tehran visit israel nuclear
(Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad holds up copies of the Koran (L) and the Bible as he addresses the 65th United Nations General Assembly at the U.N. headquarters in New York, September 23, 2010. REUTERS/Mike Segar )
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would like Pope Benedict to visit Iran, Tehran’s ambassador to the Vatican has said.
“If the pope decides to come, we will welcome him in an excellent way, and, as far as the government is concerned, we will welcome him with enthusiasm,” Ali Akbar Naseri told reporters on Wednesday. Benedict has a standing invitation to visit the Islamic Republic but has so far not accepted.
The Vatican has criticized Ahmadinejad for calling for Israel to be wiped off the map. The pontiff has repeatedly encouraged dialogue to resolve differences over Iran’s disputed nuclear program, which the West says is aimed at making nuclear bombs. Tehran denies that.
blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2012/02/09/irans-president-ahmadinejad-wants-pope-benedict-to-visit-tehran/
By Philip Pullella
February 9, 2012
vatican iran pope benedict president ahmadinejad tehran visit israel nuclear
(Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad holds up copies of the Koran (L) and the Bible as he addresses the 65th United Nations General Assembly at the U.N. headquarters in New York, September 23, 2010. REUTERS/Mike Segar )
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would like Pope Benedict to visit Iran, Tehran’s ambassador to the Vatican has said.
“If the pope decides to come, we will welcome him in an excellent way, and, as far as the government is concerned, we will welcome him with enthusiasm,” Ali Akbar Naseri told reporters on Wednesday. Benedict has a standing invitation to visit the Islamic Republic but has so far not accepted.
The Vatican has criticized Ahmadinejad for calling for Israel to be wiped off the map. The pontiff has repeatedly encouraged dialogue to resolve differences over Iran’s disputed nuclear program, which the West says is aimed at making nuclear bombs. Tehran denies that.
blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2012/02/09/irans-president-ahmadinejad-wants-pope-benedict-to-visit-tehran/
