Pope Leo XIV awarded Iran's ambassador to the Holy See, Mohammad Hossein Mokhtari, the Grand Cross of the Papal Order of Pius IX at a ceremony on Tuesday.
The Vatican later clarified that the honour is routinely awarded to ambassadors accredited to the Holy See after two years of service and was not an exclusive distinction for the Iranian envoy. Mokhtari received the award alongside 12 other ambassadors.
The Papal Order of Pius IX, established in 1847 by Pope Pius IX, is the Vatican's highest active diplomatic honour regularly bestowed on diplomats and heads of state.
Iranian state media, including Press TV and Mehr News, reported that the knighthood was conferred to Mokhtari due to his efforts to promote "peace, justice, and opposition to war mongering".
Iran's IRNA news agency said that officials at the ceremony "praised the Iranian embassy’s activities in advancing peaceful coexistence, wisdom, tolerance, and interfaith dialogue".
The award, bestowed on the envoy by the Vatican's first American-born pope, comes amid sustained tensions between Iran and the United States.
During the course of the recent US-Israeli war on Iran, Pope Leo vocally criticised the conflict, calling for peace and dialogue.
"Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Enough of the display of power! Enough of war! True strength is shown in serving life," the pope said during a vigil for peace.
The pope's scathing criticism of warmongers drew the ire of US President Donald Trump, who lashed out at the pontiff on social media.
"Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy," the president wrote in April.
Editor’s note: This article was updated on 14 May to clarify that the Grand Cross of the Papal Order of Pius IX is routinely awarded to ambassadors accredited to the Holy See after two years of service and was not a special honour granted exclusively to Iran’s envoy.