Mohammad Khatami meets Pope Benedict XVI
<noinclude>
{{date|May 5, 2007}}
{{Article-audiobrief|filename=2007-5-5.ogg|commonsurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/2007-5-5.ogg|align=right}}
[[Image:Khatami.jpg|thumb|Ayatollah Mohammad Khatami.]]
[[Image:Pope Benedictus XVI january,20 2006 (2) mod.jpg|thumb|Pope Benedict XVI]]

[[w:Mohammad Khatami|Mohammad Khatami]], the president of Iran from 1997 to 2005, was among a delegation of [[w:Ulema|Islamic clerics]] to meet Pope [[Benedict XVI]] in the Vatican City in Rome on Friday. This is Khatami's first meeting with Pope Benedict XVI and his second with a pope.  

Khatami told a press conference after the meeting that the wounds caused by [[w:Pope Benedict XVI Islam controversy|Benedict XVI's remarks]] that linked [[w:Islam|Islam]] to violence were "very deep."  He, moreover, stated that the wounds "cannot be healed easily and a single meeting may not be enough."  

On the issue of terrorism, Khatami made it clear that dialogue is the best solution to "eliminate terrorism and the great military conflicts," stressing that one cannot invoke God "as a password for war and hate."  He emphasized the need for a "joint effort."

The [[w:Holy See|Vatican]] issued a statement to the press which said that the meeting provided an opportunity to reflect on the importance of a serene dialogue among cultures to overcome the "severe tensions that mark our time".

The situation of Christian communities in the Middle East and in Iran and the need for "strong initiatives" from the international community to help resolve the situation in the Middle East
was also discussed, the statement said. 

Noting the high-level diplomatic conference in Sharm al-Sheikh, the meeting called for serious negotiations that take into account everyone's rights and respected international legality.

In the talks which lasted about 30 minutes, Khatami and Benedict XVI concurred that the Sharm al-Sheik conference to resolve the tensions in [[Iraq]] was a positive development.  Later, Khatami met with [[w:Romano Prodi|Romano Prodi]], the [[w:President of the Council of ministers of Italy|Prime Minister of Italy]].

Khatami is not representing the [[w:Politics and Government of Iran|government of Iran]] on this trip.

Khatami met with [[w:Pope John Paul II|Pope John Paul II]] in 1999.

==Sources==
*{{source|url=http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2007/05/5804D0EB-83E5-40D4-BAE0-7CDAD91F298F.html
|title=Former Iranian President Khatami Meets Pope 
|author=
|pub=Radio Free Europe
|date=May 4, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6608646,00.html
|title=Iran's Khatami: Pope Comments Still Hurt 
|author= Victor L. Simpson
|pub=The Guardian
|date=May 4, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.tehrantimes.com/Description.asp?Da=5/5/2007&Cat=4&Num=021
|title=Khatami meets Pope Benedict XVI 
|author=
|pub=Tehran Times
|date=May 5, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=8683&sectionid=351020101
|title=Khatami meets with Pope Benedict XVI
|author=
|pub=PRESS TV
|date=04 May 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/04/world/europe/04cnd-pope.html?ref=world
|title=Pope Benedict XVI Meets With Ex-President of Iran
|author=Ian Fisher
|pub=New York Times
|date=May 4, 2007}}
*{{source-pr|url=http://212.77.1.245/news_services/press/vis/dinamiche/b1_en.htm
|title=POPE RECEIVES FORMER IRANIAN PRESIDENT
|pub=Holy See
|date=May 4, 2007}}

==External links==
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfxRuDHw-zs Iran's Former President M. Khatami Condemns 911 in English] (video clip of about 2 minutes) 

{{publish}}

{{Archived}}
[[Category:Mohammad Khatami]]
[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Christianity]]
[[Category:Pope Benedict XVI]]
[[Category:Sharm el-Sheikh]]
[[Category:Romano Prodi]]

[[fr:Visite au Vatican de l'ancien président iranien Mohammad Khatami]]
[[nl:Mohammad Khatami ontmoet Paus Benedict XVI]]


</noinclude>
Ayatollah Mohammad Khatami.
Pope Benedict XVI

Mohammad Khatami, the president of Iran from 1997 to 2005, was among a delegation of Islamic clerics to meet Pope Benedict XVI in the Vatican City in Rome on Friday. This is Khatami's first meeting with Pope Benedict XVI and his second with a pope.  

Khatami told a press conference after the meeting that the wounds caused by Benedict XVI's remarks that linked Islam to violence were "very deep."  He, moreover, stated that the wounds "cannot be healed easily and a single meeting may not be enough."  

On the issue of terrorism, Khatami made it clear that dialogue is the best solution to "eliminate terrorism and the great military conflicts," stressing that one cannot invoke God "as a password for war and hate."  He emphasized the need for a "joint effort."

The Vatican issued a statement to the press which said that the meeting provided an opportunity to reflect on the importance of a serene dialogue among cultures to overcome the "severe tensions that mark our time".

The situation of Christian communities in the Middle East and in Iran and the need for "strong initiatives" from the international community to help resolve the situation in the Middle East
was also discussed, the statement said. 

Noting the high-level diplomatic conference in Sharm al-Sheikh, the meeting called for serious negotiations that take into account everyone's rights and respected international legality.

In the talks which lasted about 30 minutes, Khatami and Benedict XVI concurred that the Sharm al-Sheik conference to resolve the tensions in Iraq was a positive development.  Later, Khatami met with Romano Prodi, the Prime Minister of Italy.

Khatami is not representing the government of Iran on this trip.

Khatami met with Pope John Paul II in 1999.

fr:Visite au Vatican de l'ancien président iranien Mohammad Khatami
nl:Mohammad Khatami ontmoet Paus Benedict XVI
Mohammad Khatami Religion Christianity Pope Benedict XVI Sharm el-Sheikh Romano Prodi