Hawzah News Agency- The text of the message is as follow:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Your Excellencies, the respected officials of the Vatican, and the Catholic Christian community of the world

With greetings and respect;

We received the sad news of the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis, the popular leader of the Catholic World. We offer our condolences to the respected officials of the Vatican, and all followers of Christianity for this great loss.

Pope Francis was a prominent and influential figure in the field of interfaith dialogue and the promotion of peace and coexistence among nations. With a humane and ethical approach, he made valuable efforts to strengthen relations between divine religions, especially Islam and Christianity, to spread spiritual and moral values, and to recommend justice and the rejection of oppression and tyranny in the world.

We ask God Almighty to grant his soul peace and divine blessings, and we wish patience and forbearance for the Catholic Christian community.

With renewed respect and condolences

Alireza Arafi

Head of Iranian Seminaries