Iranian president wishes health, speedy recovery for Pope Francis

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has wished Pope Francis, who was admitted to a hospital in Rome for bronchitis, health and speedy recovery.

“I wish Pope Francis, who is being treated in hospital for a respiratory infection, well and pray to the Almighty for his health and speedy recovery,” Pezeshkian said in a post on his X account on Thursday.

The 88-year-old pontiff is being treated for double pneumonia at Rome's Gemelli Hospital.

The Holy See Press Office announced on Thursday that Pope Francis had a peaceful sixth night in the hospital, got out of bed and ate breakfast in an armchair.

On Wednesday, it said in a statement that the Holy Father's clinical condition "is stable," and that "the blood tests, evaluated by the medical staff, show a slight improvement, particularly in the inflammatory indices."

This is the fourth time Francis has been hospitalized at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital. In 2021, he had colon surgery there, while he was treated for a respiratory infection in 2023, leaving the hospital after three days. The Pope was hospitalized a few months later to undergo abdominal surgery for a hernia.

According to reports, the pope's fragile health has sparked growing worries about the future as head of the Catholic Church. Francis, who has been head of the Catholic Church since 2013, has said several times he would be ready to step down if his health does not allow him to continue his mission.

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