Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif meets Pope Francis

Pope Francis on Monday met with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, and spoke by telephone with the Turkish president, amid growing violence between Israel and the Palestinians.

The Vatican confirmed Francis spoke by phone around 9 a.m. with Turish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Later, he met with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who was in Rome on a previously announced visit. The Vatican provided no comment on the content of the talks.

The Pope presented Zarif with a gift that he said was a symbol of peace with an olive branch and a dove.  He also gave Zarif copies of his Encyclicals (writings by the Pope to Catholic faithful), "Laudato, Si" on the environment and "All Brothers" on fraternity.

Following his meeting with the Pope, Zarif sat down for talks with the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the equivalent of a Vatican Prime Minister and Cardinal Paul Gallagher, the Secretary for Relations with States, the Vatican's Foreign Minister.

The meetings come after Francis appealed for calm and international help to open a path of dialogue in the Middle East on Sunday.

Speaking during his Papal blessing, Francis said the deaths of children in the latest surge of violence was a "sign that they don't want to build the future but want to destroy it."

At least 188 Palestinians have been killed in the strikes and 1,230 people wounded. Eight people in Israel have been killed in rocket attacks from Gaza.