Israeli American appointed as head of Iran desk at US National Security Council

Merav Ceren, who holds both Israeli and American citizenship, was recently appointed as the head of the Iran desk at the United States National Security Council.

Ceren previously worked at the Israeli Ministry of Defense and is known for advocating a firm stance in policy toward the Islamic Republic.

National Security Council Spokesperson Brian Hughes commented on the appointment, saying, “Merav is an American patriot who has served in the administration for years under President Trump, Senator Ted Cruz, and Congressman James Comer.”

Congratulations to former @FDD National Security Fellow @MeravCeren for her appointment to NSC overseeing #Israel and #Iran policy. pic.twitter.com/MIg5CfjyLE

— Reza Behrouz (@RBehrouzDO) April 22, 2025

The spokesperson concluded: “We are pleased that she will be the one to implement the President’s policy on Middle Eastern affairs.”

American media outlets noted that she had previously worked for the Israeli Government’s Coordination and Liaison Directorate in the Palestinian Territories and is fluent in Hebrew.

After criticizing her previous work, Hughes told the news outlet Al Monitor that Ceren “was never employed by the Israeli Defense Ministry, let alone was she an Israeli official. She did a policy fellowship studying resource management in the West Bank, which is overseen by the Israeli Ministry of Defense, which required her to liaison with them for her research.”

In a statement to the news outlet Drop Site, Hughes added that Ceren is “a patriotic American who has served in the United States government for years, including for President Trump, Senator Ted Cruz, and Congressman James Comer. We are thrilled to have her expertise in the NSC, where she carries out the President’s agenda on a range of Middle East issues.”