Yousef Hamadani Cohen (Persian: یوسف همدانی کهن) is the chief rabbi and spiritual leader for the Jewish community of Iran (Iranian Jews).[1] He has served in that position since January 1994.
In August 2000, Chief Rabbi Hamadani Cohen met with Iranian President Mohammad Khatami for the first time.[2] In 2003, Cohen and Member of Parliament Morris Motamed met with Khatami at Yusef Abad Synagogue which was the first time a President of Iran had visited a synagogue since the Islamic Revolution.[3] For the event, Cohen led the opening the Torah scroll ark and the reciting of prayers.[4] In 2000, four rabbis, including rabbi Yisroel Dovid Weiss of Neturei Karta, held talks with Cohen about the 13 Persian Jews who had been accused of working for Israel by the government of Iran.[5]