Rubio Meets Pope Leo XIV at Vatican to Discuss Iran Conflict — Brazil's Lula Calls War 'Madness'

Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on May 7, 2026 — Day 69 — to discuss the Iran conflict and broader regional tensions. The meeting reflected the Vatican's ongoing efforts to insert itself as a moral voice on the conflict; Pope Leo XIV had previously called for an end to the 'spiral of violence.' Separately, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva — hosted by Trump in Washington — publicly condemned the Iran war as 'madness,' urging a negotiated settlement. Brazil's public break with US war policy reflected broader Global South frustration with the conflict's economic consequences, including soaring oil prices and food supply disruptions. Lula's condemnation came even as he visited the White House, underscoring the conflict's isolation of the US and Israel on the world stage outside their immediate allies.