Cardinal Dominique Mathieu Evacuated from Iran
After days of silence, the archbishop of Tehran–Isfahan confirms he reached Rome with embassy staff
ROME, 9 March 2026 — Cardinal Dominique Mathieu, the Belgian Archbishop of Tehran–Isfahan, has been evacuated from Iran and arrived in Rome on Saturday, March 8, together with the staff of the Italian Embassy. Catholics had been increasingly concerned about his fate after days of silence following the Israeli-American military operation launched in Iran on February 28, which also severely disrupted communications in the country.
Confirming his safe arrival, the cardinal told Belgian Catholic media on Monday, March 9: “I arrived in Rome yesterday, not without regret and sorrow for our brothers and sisters in Iran, as part of the complete evacuation of the Italian Embassy, the seat of the archdiocese. While waiting to return there, pray for the conversion of hearts to inner peace.” Church officials had only managed to reach him briefly in recent days through members of the Conventual Franciscans.
Christians in Iran—around 20,000 people, including roughly 3,500 Catholics—were already living in a fragile situation before the current conflict. In 2025, the Catholic community in Tehran had been dispersed after acts of repression, particularly targeting Catholic women married to Iranians who were expected by authorities to convert to Islam.
Cardinal Mathieu had continued his ministry despite these difficulties, serving alone across Tehran’s five parishes without any priests or deacons. The Cathedral of the Consolata is located inside the Italian Embassy compound, giving it diplomatic protection. Appointed archbishop in 2021 by Pope Francis and created a cardinal in December 2024, he is the only Roman Catholic bishop in Iran and is now expected to brief officials of the Holy See on the situation in the country.
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