Holy See

The Vatican and the United States Embassy to the Holy See have issued clarifications after Iranian media reports claimed Pope Leo XIV had personally granted a special honour to Iran’s ambassador to the Holy See The Vatican and the United States Embassy to the Holy See have both issued clarifications after Iranian media reports claimed that Pope Leo XIV had personally granted a special honour to Iran’s ambassador to the Holy See. Mohammad Hossein Mokhtari, the Iranian ambassador, was among 13 diplomats who received the Grand Cross of the Order of Pius IX during a ceremony held in the Vatican on May 12 for ambassadors who had completed at least two years of service accredited to the Holy See. Iranian state-linked outlets described the award as a significant gesture by the Pope towards Tehran, with some reports claiming the distinction recognised the ambassador’s efforts “to promote messages of peace, justice, and opposition to warmongering”. Iranian press suggested that “the award and the pope’s denunciation of the aggression are closely linked to the ongoing efforts of the Iranian embassy at the Vatican to promote messages of peace, justice, and opposition to warmongering”. The reports prompted criticism on social media and led to public clarification from both the Vatican and the American diplomatic mission to the Holy See. In a statement published online, the United States Embassy to the Holy See said: “Contrary to some reports, Pope Leo has not bestowed an exclusive special honour on the Iranian Ambassador to the Holy See. This decoration is given to all accredited ambassadors to the Holy See after 2+ years of service and has been standard practice for many years.” The Holy See press office confirmed the same account in comments to journalists, stating that the honour “is an award bestowed upon ambassadors after two years of service at the Holy See”. The Vatican added: “Yesterday, the Sostituto presented it to 13 ambassadors, including Iran’s ambassador.” The ceremony took place on the anniversary of Pope Leo XIV’s election and was presided over by Archbishop Paolo Rudelli, the substitute for general affairs of the Secretariat of State (Sostituto), who presented the insignia and official parchments to the diplomats. The certificates accompanying the awards were signed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State. The Order of Pius IX, also known as the Pian Order, is one of the principal papal orders of knighthood and is regularly conferred upon heads of state, royalty and ambassadors accredited to the Holy See. Although the Supreme Order of Christ and the Order of the Golden Spur formally rank above it, both honours have effectively fallen dormant. In practical diplomatic terms, the Order of Pius IX is regarded as the Holy See’s highest active distinction. The order was restored by Blessed Pius IX in 1847, though its origins date back to the 16th century under Pope Pius IV. Recent recipients have included King Charles III, who received the honour during his visit to the Vatican, as well as King Juan Carlos I of Spain, King Albert II of Belgium and King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. Recipients of the Grand Cross wear a dark blue sash edged in red, together with a silver breast star bearing the insignia of the order. The original members of the order historically formed part of the papal lay court and accompanied the pope in ceremonial and official duties within the Apostolic Palace.

Britain’s newly appointed ambassador to the Holy See has voiced strong support for LGBT Pride activism during her time as British Consul General in San Francisco and has retained social media posts featuring the disgraced politician Peter Mandelson The appointment of Tarandip “Tammy” Kaur Sandhu as the next British ambassador to the Holy See has prompted scrutiny over the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s increasingly prominent promotion of LGBT causes through its diplomatic missions. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office announced on May 11 that Ms Sandhu would succeed Christopher Trott as His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Holy See later this summer. The Leicester-born diplomat, who studied at University College London before joining the Foreign Office in 2005, most recently served as British Consul General in San Francisco. Her career has combined commercial diplomacy with internal diversity work inside the Foreign Office. In Chennai she worked as deputy head of mission and head of international trade, while in 2020 she chaired the FCDO’s Race and Ethnicity Network during a period in which the department expanded its public focus on diversity and inclusion initiatives as well as navigating the unrest after the murder of George Floyd. In San Francisco, Ms Sandhu developed close ties with the city’s political and business establishment, regularly appearing at technology, cultural and civic events linked to Britain’s commercial presence in Silicon Valley and the wider Bay Area. She also became a visible public supporter of LGBT Pride events in the city, where British diplomatic involvement has steadily expanded in recent years. During her tenure in California, the British consulate became heavily involved in San Francisco Pride events and related LGBT campaigns, with the mission publishing repeated statements backing Pride activism and describing itself as a “proudly inclusive mission”. That record is now attracting attention following her appointment to the Holy See. AdVaticanum, which contacted the FCDO for comment after the appointment was announced, compiled a series of social media posts published during Sandhu’s tenure in California documenting the British consulate’s participation in San Francisco Pride celebrations and associated LGBT campaigns. One post published by the British consulate after the city’s 2025 Pride parade stated: “Consul General @TammySandhu was proud to join our amazing team marching in this year’s @sanfranciscopride Parade — a vibrant celebration of love, equality, and the power of community.” The post continued: “As a proudly inclusive mission, we’re committed to standing with the LGBTQ+ community in the Bay Area, the UK, and around the world.” In another message published during Pride month, Sandhu wrote: “Wrapped in rainbows and filled with love … what a joy to celebrate Pride in San Francisco once again!” “This city has been my home for five years, and I continue to be in awe of how it leads — with love, with courage, and with glitter.” The same post said: “I am so proud to represent a country that shows up for LGBT rights — at home and around the world. Because visibility matters. Safety matters. Love matters.” Referring to Britain’s longstanding involvement in San Francisco Pride, she added: “The UK was the first foreign government to march in San Francisco Pride — and we’ve never stopped dancing since.” Other posts highlighted by critics included Sandhu appearing alongside San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, State Senator Scott Wiener and San Francisco Pride executive director Suzanne Ford during the installation of the city’s annual “Pink Triangle” display. A further statement issued by the consulate said Sandhu had addressed “leaders, dignitaries and allies” at San Francisco City Hall and spoken about “the UK’s deep commitment to LGBTQ+ rights and inclusion, at home and around the world”. The message added: “From the steps of City Hall, where history has so often been made, the Consul General shared the UK’s unwavering belief that everyone deserves to live freely, openly, and with pride.” Another Instagram collaboration post shared by a former San Francisco Pride president used the phrase “GOD SAVE THE K̶I̶N̶G̶ KWEEN” while thanking Sandhu for hosting a Christmas luncheon. Under the Civil Service Code, diplomats are required to uphold the principles of “integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality”, with impartiality defined as “acting solely according to the merits of the case and serving equally well governments of different political persuasions”. In practice, senior diplomats will inevitably engage with politicians across the spectrum, particularly in a state such as California where Democratic officeholders dominate public life. Yet the cumulative picture created by the public messaging surrounding Sandhu’s tenure in San Francisco has created an appearance of political and ideological alignment that sits uneasily with both the spirit of civil service neutrality and the sensitivities of the Vatican posting. While British ambassadors to the Holy See are not expected to be Catholic, the scale and tone of some interventions risk bringing unnecessary controversy to one of Britain’s most delicate diplomatic appointments. While a degree of political engagement is inevitable for any senior diplomat operating in California, particularly one whose role required regular contact with figures such as Governor Gavin Newsom and the state’s Democratic leadership, some of Ambassador-designate Sandhu’s public interventions have nevertheless raised eyebrows. Appearances alongside elected officials are broadly understandable. However, a lengthy tribute posted following the death of Senator Dianne Feinstein, one of America’s most prominent pro-abortion politicians, is more difficult to reconcile given the sensitivities of the Vatican posting. In the post, Sandhu described Feinstein as “a trailblazer who improved the lives of so many San Franciscans”, praised her for ensuring “young women grew up in a world that was fairer, more just”, and concluded by saying: “Senator Feinstein was a great friend of the UK and a political force on the international stage.” Sandhu also has Instagram posts featuring and alongside Peter Mandelson, the former British Ambassador to the United States who maintained a close friendship with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Mandelson reportedly received cash payments from Epstein and was accused of attempting to influence British government policy at Epstein’s request. He is currently under investigation over allegations that he shared confidential UK government information with Epstein while serving as Business Secretary between 2009 and 2010. Sandhu’s association with Mandelson during her time as British Consul General in San Francisco, while he was serving as ambassador in Washington, is unsurprising. However, the decision to retain multiple photographs of the disgraced politician on her public social media accounts is more difficult to reconcile with her new diplomatic posting. The FCDO did not immediately comment on the social media posts highlighted following the announcement. Photo: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office / OGL v3.0