New Delhi, May 7 -- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Thursday (May 7) for talks focused on the conflict in the Middle East, humanitarian crises and broader diplomatic cooperation between Washington and the Holy See.

According to the US State Department, Rubio and the pontiff discussed "topics of mutual interest in the Western Hemisphere" as well as the situation in the Middle East.

The meeting comes amid attempts to repair tensions between the Vatican and the Trump administration following public disagreements over the Iran conflict and immigration policies.

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said: "The meeting underscored the strong relationship between the United States and the Holy See and...