Rabbi Pinto. Photo: Wikipedia.

Influential Israeli kabbalist Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto has been invited to meet with newly elected Iranian president Hassan Rouhani during the latter’s upcoming visit to New York for the United Nations General Assembly, Israeli daily Maariv reported Wednesday. The meeting is set to take place on September 26th and will also be attended by Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif.

The meeting was reportedly initiated by the American Iranian Council a think tank which promotes relations between the U.S. and Iran. Reached on the phone by The Algemeiner, a representative for the Council who would not give his name declined to comment on the report.

According to Maariv, Rabbi Pinto has not yet responded to the invitation, and plans to consult with Israeli government officials before agreeing to attend.

The paper reports that Pinto told associates that should he attend the meeting, he would try and dissuade the Iranian President from advancing the country’s nuclear weapons program, which endangers Israel.

“Italian businessmen” who are close to the rabbi and maintain connections with Iranian leaders were also instrumental in establishing contact between the Rabbi and Rouhani, Maariv said.