Pope Francis Defended Human Rights, Opposed Israeli Crimes: Former Iranian Envoy
Speaking to the Institute for Strategic Studies of Contemporary Islam, Hojat-ol-Islam Mohammad Masjedjamei said the pontiff had one of the most straightforward expressions and bravest stances.
He noted that the Vatican has seen many popes, John XXIII, who died in 1958, Pope Paul VI, who died in 1978, Pope John Paul I, who was pope for a month, then Pope John Paul II, then Benedict XVI, and then Pope Francis, who passed away last week.
Hojat-ol-Islam Masjedjamei said that Pope Francis, in his thinking, in his way of life, in his dealings with the faithful and the people, was concerned about their problems, but he was also concerned about the whole world.
“He warned repeatedly about the danger of World War III, saying that it had already begun, and his advice was to not build walls between nations and to treat the migrants who came to live in Europe well and to respect their rights.
“He had a different perspective on the war in Ukraine from what was common in Europe, in the mainstream media. He emphasized more than others on environmental issues and preservation of the environment, he paid attention to the respect for the rights of all human beings and the dignity and respect for the status of the human being, he talked about it a lot and he was committed to respecting these rights.”
He added that Pope Francis’ way of life was different from that of other Vatican popes, as he never stayed in the papal residence, which was considered a palace, but lived in the hotel that the Vatican had reserved for guests.
“In everyday life, the way he ate, the way he interacted with people and the poor and people who had their own problems like disability, he was fair, and in this respect he was very different from previous Vatican popes, so he was an exceptional person.
“He emphasized independence in the sense of being anti-colonial, justice for all, updating theology and looking at crises that threatened world peace, he had his own vision and guidance, more than any other pope. He was deeply influenced by Argentine Pronist nationalism (a combination of nationalism, populism, the labor movement, and right-wing socialism with the centrality of social justice and the welfare state) and Latin American libertarian theology; while the two previous popes were opposed to these views. He was also influenced by the thought of Cardinal Martini, a great Catholic figure, and theologically by the thought of Luther and the Protestant and Jesuit Reformations.
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“These attributes were said to be either not present in other Vatican popes, or if they were, not as colorful.”
Asked about the Pope’s stances on the issue of Palestine, Hojat-ol-Islam Masjedjamei said that compared to the leaders of countries in Europe and Latin America, Pope Francis has been one of the most outspoken and courageous in condemning Israeli crimes, while opposing the Zionist regime and taking a stance against Israel is seen as antisemitism, and there are many media issues in cyberspace against such positions.
As for the Pope’s meeting with senior Iraqi Shia cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in Najaf in 2021, Hojat-ol-Islam Masjedjamei said it was a very interesting and exceptional trip, because no other pope had not done it.
“It was in the context of the coronavirus outbreak, which was considered dangerous, and even in the context of the coronavirus or being exposed to terrorist attacks in those days in Iraq, none of the insurance companies were insuring journalists, and there were very few journalists who went to Iraq to cover the trip.
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“It was also a courageous and important decision to meet Ayatollah Sistani at his residence, which is unprecedented for a pope to personally visit a Muslim figure at his residence.
“In what the Pope said in an interview when he returned from the trip, he expressed the great respect and dignity of meeting with Ayatollah Sistani and celebrated them very much. While he had previously met with other important Islamic figures such as Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, the sheikh Al-Azhar, his reaction to this visit can be assessed as much more respectful, noble and lofty than meeting with other Islamic officials.”
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