Ellie Cohanim takes Senior Policy Advisor Role at UN Mission

Ellie Cohanim, former U.S. Deputy Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, has returned to public service by being appointed U.S. Mission to the United Nations Senior Policy Advisor. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz praised Cohanim's wide expertise in foreign policy, religious freedom and combating anti-Semitism in the appointment announcement on Tuesday.

Cohanim has extensive experience in international affairs and public policy. She was born in Tehran, Iran, where she grew up in a family that left the country after the Islamic Revolution of 1979, when persecution of Iran's Jewish community escalated. Born and raised in New York, it has been her family's experience that has inspired her to champion human rights, religious freedom and democratic principles.

In announcing the appointment, Ambassador Waltz called Cohanim's up-and-down path the American dream.

“This is Ellie's story and it is an American story,” said Waltz. Her family came from persecution in Iran, lived in New York, and for her career has sought ways to serve America, fight for freedom, take a stand for the persecuted, and expose anti-Semitism.

Key Highlights:

• Ellie Cohanim appointed Senior Policy Advisor at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations
• Former anti-Semitism envoy who helped advance the Abraham Accords and U.S. Middle East policy
• Iran-born diplomat fluent in Farsi and Hebrew, bringing expertise in human rights and international diplomacy

Her experience and values make her well-positioned to represent the interests of the United States of America at the United Nations, especially as religious freedom, anti-Semitism and security in the Middle East are key topics on the international agenda," he added.

In President Donald Trump's first term, Cohanim was Deputy U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism at the State Department. In that capacity she dealt with the governments and international organizations regarding the escalating anti-Semitism in the world, and with the work of the Abraham Accords and the U.S.-brokered agreements for normalization between Israel and various Arab nations.

Before entering into the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, Cohanim served as an Independent Women's Forum senior fellow in the areas of foreign policy, Iran, Middle East affairs, and national security. She also was a member of the Trump-Vance Presidential Transition team, helping to plan for national security and U.S. State Department affairs. Throughout her career, she has frequently written and spoken on issues including Iran, religious freedom, global anti-Semitism and U.S. foreign policy.

Cohanim's language skills will be able to enhance her diplomatic efforts. She speaks Farsi and Hebrew and has a working knowledge of Arabic, which is also relevant to her knowledge and background on Middle Eastern affairs and international diplomacy.

Her arrival coincides with the United States' focus on security, human rights and international cooperation at the United Nations. In her role as Senior Policy Advisor, Cohanim will be expected to offer strategic guidance on various policy issues and assist with the U.S. Mission's policy priorities in New York at the UN Headquarters.