Iranian state media set X ablaze on Tuesday with reports that the Vatican had honored the Iranian ambassador to the Holy See, Mohammad Hossein Mokhtari, with the Knight of the Grand Cross of the Pontifical Order of Pius IX.
Mehr News claimed Mokhtari had been honored for “strengthening diplomatic ties and serving the cause of peace and dialogue.” They also said this was “after Pope Leo XIV condemned the US-Israeli aggression against Iran.”
The Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) claimed that the Pope awarded the “Vatican’s highest diplomatic honor to Iran’s ambassador” for his “efforts to promote peace, dialogue, and bilateral relations.”
.@Pontifex awards Vatican’s highest diplomatic honor to Iran’s ambassador pic.twitter.com/xWYwWfE339
— IRNA News Agency ☫ (@IrnaEnglish) May 13, 2026
The report further claimed that “officials praised the Iranian embassy’s activities in advancing peaceful coexistence, wisdom, tolerance, and interfaith dialogue,” and that in the official decree, Leo “expressed appreciation for Ambassador Mokhtari’s services in strengthening ties with the Holy See.”
This naturally infuriated many on X, noting that the regime has massacred thousands of its own people and been behind terrorism for 47 years.
But Iran being Iran, you had to know that there were a couple of problems with the story.
The U.S. Embassy to the Holy See account explained.
Contrary to news reports, Pope Leo has not bestowed an exclusive special honor on the Iranian Ambassador to the Holy See. This decoration is given to all accredited ambassadors to the Holy See after 2+ years of service and has been standard practice for many years. It is a…
— U.S. in Holy See (@USinHolySee) May 13, 2026
Contrary to news reports, Pope Leo has not bestowed an exclusive special honor on the Iranian Ambassador to the Holy See. This decoration is given to all accredited ambassadors to the Holy See after 2+ years of service and has been standard practice for many years. It is a personal recognition and does not imply support or opposition to any policy or country. Thirteen ambassadors were recently given this recognition. Previous U.S. ambassadors have all received the same. Finally, the decoration was not given in person by the pope.
In other words, Iran not only wasn’t being straight about the nature of the award, but the Pope did not give him the award in person, as IRNA claimed. And that picture that IRNA posted with the ambassador and the Pope is not from the recognition ceremony.
It is true; it’s a standard practice to give the award to ambassadors to the Holy See, as a personal recognition after serving for more than two years.
However, one has to ask, when it’s an ambassador who represents a regime that just massacred thousands of their own people in January, and a regime that continues to execute dissenters, why would you recognize him, even if it’s normally the practice? This is really a bad idea in the context of what’s going on. Not to mention 47 years of terrorism.
Then, too, Iran manipulated the situation; it’s what they do. They misled on what the Vatican did, even misusing the picture of the Pope. The Vatican just got a lesson in being hosed by Iranian propaganda.
Editor’s Note: For decades, former presidents have been all talk and no action. Now, Donald Trump is eliminating the threat from Iran once and for all.
Help us report the truth about the Trump administration’s decisive actions to keep Americans safe and bring peace to the world. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your VIP membership.
