The Latest: Italy minister: Statue cover-up incomprehensible

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, right, walks past a Swiss guard, at the end of a private audience with Pope Francis at the Vatican,Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2016. Iran’s president asked Pope Francis to pray for him after the two men held private talks at the Vatican Tuesday as Tehran aims to carve out a role in resolving Middle East conflicts thanks to the nuclear accord and lifting of sanctions. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, right, walks past a Swiss guard, at the end of a private audience with Pope Francis at the Vatican,Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2016. Iran’s president asked Pope Francis to pray for him after the two men held private talks at the Vatican Tuesday as Tehran aims to carve out a role in resolving Middle East conflicts thanks to the nuclear accord and lifting of sanctions. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

By Associated Press January 27, 2016 4 min read

ROME (AP) – The Latest on Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s visit to Europe (all times local):

1:30 p.m.

Italy’s culture minister says the decision to cover up naked Roman statues in an apparent bid to not offend the visiting Iranian president was “incomprehensible.”

Culture Minister Dario Franceschini told reporters Wednesday that neither he nor Italian Premier Matteo Renzi authorized the cover-up. Several wooden panels were erected Monday to hide nude statues at Rome’s Capitoline Museums where Rouhani and Renzi held a joint press conference.

Franceschini said: “I think there easily would have been other ways to not offend an important foreign guest without this incomprehensible choice of covering up the statues.”