Pope urges Iranian cooperation

VATICAN CITY -- In his annual address to the Holy See's diplomatic corps, Pope Benedict XVI pressed Iran to address global concerns over its nuclear program, which he described as a source of rising tension in the Middle East.

Benedict said Jan. 8 that turmoil in the Middle East was a source of"great anxiety" that could be stabilized "if a country like Iran, especially in relation to its nuclear program, agrees to give a satisfactory response to the legitimate concerns of the international community."

Iran's cooperation with the international community, Benedict said, would "surely help to stabilize the whole region."

COPYRIGHT 2007 National Catholic Reporter
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning