The cardinal’s remarks come as Western Asia grapples with escalating tensions, particularly over Iran’s nuclear program.
Newsroom (03/09/2025, Gaudium Press ) Cardinal Dominique Joseph Mathieu, Archbishop of Tehran-Ispahan of the Latins, has sharply criticized the “colonial hegemony” embedded in the term “Middle East,” arguing that it obscures the region’s “intrinsically multipolar” nature. The cardinal’s remarks come as Western Asia grapples with escalating tensions, particularly over Iran’s nuclear program, with the so-called “E3” countries—France, the United Kingdom, and Germany—pushing to reactivate the UN’s snapback mechanism to restore sanctions. Tehran, in response, has threatened to withdraw from the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), raising the specter of further regional instability.
Cardinal Mathieu argues that the label “Middle East” reflects a Western-centric worldview that perpetuates domination and distorts the reality of a diverse and multipolar “Western Asia.” He warns that this hegemony often manifests as “aggressive and expansionist military superiority” imposed without the consent of local populations. Such policies, he contends, fuel resistance and undermine political legitimacy, citing Italian philosopher Antonio Gramsci to highlight how alternative perspectives are dismissed as irrational or extreme.
The cardinal’s reflection calls for a paradigm shift toward a “diplomacy of spirituality” rooted in universal principles of human dignity, the common good, and solidarity. He emphasizes the need for interreligious dialogue and mutual respect to break the cycle of conflict. “Peace cannot be built on the ideology of a so-called ‘free’ interventionist world,” Mathieu writes, criticizing approaches that demonize emerging powers, promote regime change, and dehumanize dissenting populations.
Nuclear Tensions Escalate
The cardinal’s warning coincides with heightened diplomatic friction. The UN Security Council recently convened behind closed doors after the E3 initiated steps to trigger the snapback mechanism, a move that could reinstate UN sanctions on Iran’s nuclear activities. Tehran has responded defiantly, with its leadership threatening to exit the NPT amid domestic debates over the return of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors, a move opposed by ultra-conservative factions.
Compounding the crisis, senior Iranian officials have privately acknowledged that the United States has ignored at least 15 attempts to resume nuclear negotiations. Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps announced the arrest of eight individuals suspected of passing sensitive military information to Israel’s Mossad, further inflaming regional distrust.
A Call for Love, Not Domination
Cardinal Mathieu’s reflection underscores the urgency of addressing these crises through dialogue rather than confrontation. He rejects any form of “unjust domination,” whether economic, political, or cultural, as contrary to Catholic social ethics. Quoting Pope Leo XIV, he emphasizes that “peace begins for each of us: in the way we look at others, listen to others, speak about others.” At the core of his message is a call for love over domination, urging societies to embrace compassion, service, and respect for all.
As Western Asia teeters on the edge of deeper conflict, Cardinal Mathieu’s plea for a diplomacy grounded in spiritual and ethical principles offers a stark contrast to the prevailing rhetoric of power and control. His words serve as both a critique of historical imbalances and a hopeful vision for a more just and cooperative future.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Asianews.it
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