Pope Francis willing to visit Iraq after new govt formed

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) Vatican’s Pope Francis will visit Iraq after the new government is formed, his chief executive was quoted saying on Wednesday.

Iraq’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Iraqi ambassador to the Vatican, Omar Barzanji, met with the general secretary of the Vatican (prime minister) Pietro Parolin, where he repeated Iraq’s invitation to the patriarch to visit the country “to extend a message of peace and solidarity from other faiths especially after victory over Daesh (Islamic State) terrorists”.

Parolin, according to the statement, stressed on the importance of the anticipated visit, noting that he “intends to visit Iraq after the formation of the new Iraqi government in preparation for the pope’s visit”.

Iraq concluded on 12th of this month its first parliamentary elections sinde the defeat of Islamic State extremists late last year. While negotiations between various political movements are underway for the formation of the next government, election results face legal challenges which the government said it would address officially.