Cleverly meets with communal leaders to discuss Iran

Communal leaders have met with foreign secretary James Cleverly to discuss the impact of international events on the Jewish community.

The JLC-led delegation – which included Jewish Leadership Council chair Keith Black and Board of Deputies president Marie van der Zyl – restated their longstanding concern on Iran, its efforts to obtain nuclear weapons and its sponsorship of international terrorism and antisemitism.

They stressed the view that Iranian activities remain a serious threat to diaspora Jewish communities around the world.The importance of strong bilateral relations with Israel where also raised with the foreign secretary during Wednesday’s meeting in Westminster.

Also at the talks were Claudia Mendoza, JLC co-chief exec, the Board’s senior vice president David Mendoza-Wolfson and director of external relations at the Community Security Trust, Jonny Newton.

The JLC later tweeted that during the meeting with Cleverly “we discussed the importance of tackling antisemitism, international terrorism and our ongoing concern over Iran’s activities. We thanked him for the government’s support.”

The Board said talks had focused on “key issues of interest and concern to British Jews.”