Rome covers up nude statues for President Rouhani’s visit

On Tuesday, a spokesman for Italy’s capital said that all decisions regarding the meeting and its settings had been made by Renzi’s office.
 
In pictures of the meeting, held on Monday, Rouhani and Renzi can be seen talking next to the statue of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius.
 
According to the Italian news agency ANSA, the sculptures were covered as a sign of respect for the visiting president. 
 
In a standard diplomatic gesture for visiting Muslim dignitaries, alcoholic beverages were also not served at an official dinner held in Rouhani’s honor. 
 
Rouhani, who arrived in Italy on Monday on the first leg of his trip to three European destinations, has also held talks with Italian President Sergio Mattarella, and Pope Francis at the Vatican.
 
During the closed-door meeting between the Iranian president and the Pope, common spiritual values and the good state of relations between the Holy See and Iran were discussed among other topics.
 
The meeting included a gift exchange ceremony during which President Rouhani gave the Pope a hand-woven Persian carpet and a book of illustrations by renowned Iranian painter Mahmoud Farshchian. In turn the Pope presented Rouhani with a medallion of St Martin and copies of the Pope’s encyclical on the environment, in English and Arabic.
 
According to the Catholic News Service, at the end of the meeting the Pope thanked Rouhani for his visit, adding that he has “high hopes in peace,” in reply to which Rouhani asked the pontiff to pray for him.