Jewish and Iranian leaders unite

Israel’s ambassador to Australia, Dr Hillel Newman, has held the first official formal meeting between the Israeli Embassy and representatives of the Iranian Australian community.

The gathering was described by both sides as a milestone in growing cooperation.

The meeting, held at Parliament House in Canberra and running for almost two hours, brought together Newman and Jewish community representatives with Iranian Australian delegates from Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane.

Iranian Australian community spokesperson Ali Beikzadeh said the discussion covered the situation in Iran and cooperation between the Iranian and Jewish and Israeli peoples, particularly in support of what he called the Iranian people’s national revolution against the Islamic regime.

“The meeting was held following months of cooperation between the Iranian and Jewish diaspora in Australia, and was the first official formal meeting, demonstrating the solidarity our communities have in the face of the Islamic regime,” Beikzadeh said.

He added that it reaffirmed “the clear distinction and separation between the Iranian people and the regime occupying the nation of Iran.”

Newman said the meeting was aimed at building coalitions of support between the Iranian Australian community, Jewish communities and the state of Israel.

“The people of Iran are our friends and allies and friends and allies of the people of Israel,” he said.

“We make a clear distinction between the evil regime, which oppresses the people of Iran and attacks Israel, and between the people of Iran. We care for the people of Iran and sympathise with them and wish them true freedom.”

Beikzadeh said cooperation between the two communities had strengthened significantly since the October 7 attacks, building on solidarity that emerged during Iran’s 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom movement following the death of Mahsa Amini.

He said the relationship had also progressed at a political level this year, including a March meeting with Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Sharren Haskel.

“There’s plenty of data to suggest that even by conservative figures, no more than 10% of the Iranian population, both inside and outside of Iran, support the current regime. So, within Australia, up to 10% of the Iranian diaspora might support the regime, but the absolute vast majority of us  oppose the regime, reject it in its society, and support a transitional government to establish a secular democracy.”

Looking ahead, Beikzadeh said discussions were under way about further joint meetings, and raised the possibility of a visit to Australia by Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, who leads Iran’s opposition in exile.

He said such a visit would be “a profound milestone” for Jewish and Iranian solidarity in Australia, noting Pahlavi had visited Israel in 2023, before the October 7 attacks, to establish ties between the two communities.