The Catholic Archbishop of Tehran –Isfahan, Cardinal Dominique Mathieu, has been evacuated to Rome following the launch of an Israeli-American military operation in Iran on February 28, 2026.

The Belgian cardinal departed the country together with staff from the Italian embassy, where the archdiocesan headquarters is located.

In a message shared on March 9 and reported by the Belgian Catholic outlet CathoBel, Mathieu said he reached Rome on March 8.

“I arrived in Rome yesterday, not without sorrow and pain for our brothers and sisters in Iran, as part of the complete evacuation of the Italian embassy, which also hosts the seat of the archdiocese,” he said.

The cardinal urged prayers for peace and expressed hope that he would soon be able to return. “Pray for the conversion of hearts to inner peace,” he added.

For several days, uncertainty surrounded his situation due to communication disruptions in Iran, which made it difficult to confirm his status. Iran is home to roughly 20,000 Christians, including about 3,500 Catholics.

Around 1,300 of them belong to the Latin Church and fall directly under the jurisdiction of the Holy See. Even before the current conflict,

Christians in the country lived under restrictive conditions. In 2025, the Catholic community in Tehran was particularly affected by government measures that led to the dispersal of several faithful. Mathieu’s ministry in Iran has been unusual.

He is currently the only Roman Catholic bishop in the country and serves five parishes in Tehran without the assistance of priests or deacons.

The Cathedral of the Consolata is located within the Italian embassy compound, providing a degree of diplomatic protection. Created cardinal on December 7, 2024.

Mathieu had hoped his role might encourage dialogue between the Holy See and Iranian authorities. The cardinal, appointed archbishop in 2021 by Pope Francis, had chosen to remain in Iran despite the challenges of maintaining a pastoral “ministry of presence” among the faithful.