Pope Benedict XVI met Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak March 13 to discuss the situation in the Middle East , tensions surrounding Iran 's nuclear programme and religious tolerance in Egypt , the Vatican said.

Mubarak returned to Rome specifically to meet the pope at the end of a March 9-13 series of visits with European leaders. The president had met Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi March 9 in Rome , but could not meet the pope at the time because of the Vatican 's annual Lenten retreat.

Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said Pope Benedict and Mubarak spent about half an hour together and began their meeting by discussing “the good relations between the Holy See and the Arab Republic of Egypt and the situation of inter-religious relations in the country.”

The two spoke English and spent about 20 minutes together without aides present.

“The meeting allowed them to review themes relative to the prospects for a stable peace in the Middle East ,” Navarro-Valls said. “There was a profound exchange of ideas about the situation in Iraq and also a look at issues regarding the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

Neither the Vatican nor the Egyptian government provided more information.

Meeting March 11 with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Mubarak called for a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East , including Israel .

"We need to take steps to prevent the spread of atomic weapons," he said.

Throughout his European trip, Mubarak also urged the European Union to continue giving financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority, and he asked European leaders to try to convince Israel to recognise the authority's new Hamas leadership.

Hamas, he said, also must recognise Israel 's right to exist and pledge to participate in the peace process.

(CNS)