High-Stakes Encounter: Marco Rubio Meets Pope Leo Amid Tensions

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's visit to the Vatican on Thursday was overshadowed by tensions due to President Donald Trump's ongoing criticisms of Catholic leader Pope Leo regarding the Iran war.

Rubio, under strict security, arrived for a private audience with the pope, the first meeting of its kind since last year. The discussions lasted approximately half an hour, with Cardinal Pietro Parolin also set to meet Rubio.

Pope Leo, critical of the U.S.-Israeli policies on Iran, faced Trump's claims that he endorsed nuclear weapons, which Leo firmly denied. Rubio's Rome visit also includes meetings with Italian leadership on global religious freedoms.

(With inputs from agencies.)