A group of pro-Israel activists has written to the Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatalloh Khamenei asking him to recognise that the Quran upholds the right of the Jewish people to the Holy Land.

The group, called the Middle East Information Exchange, handed a letter into the Iranian Embassy in London in October, in which they cited two verses from the Quran, including one which declares “O My People! Go into the Holy Land which Allah has ordained for you”.

They wrote, “Further research confirms that major commentators on the Quran – Al Tabari, Ibn Kathir – confirm that the Holy Land is ‘written’ by Allah in the Quran to the Jewish people.”

They wondered “whether the return of Jews to the Holy Land, for more than a century now, has been happening by the will of Allah and not, as seems to have been hitherto thought, against the will of Allah.”

The letter was disclosed by one of the group, Geoffrey Ben-Nathan, who published his own guide to Israel advocacy Pro-Action in Defence of the Jewish State last year.

Ayatollah Khameini has remained an implacable opponent of Israel and only a few months ago predicted that the “Zionist regime” would not exist in 25 years.

The letter asked him to explain the Quranic verses and “how their meaning and portent can contribute to bringing a better understanding of the situation between men and women of goodwill and as such bring about peace in the Middle East”.

Mr Ben-Nathan said that so far they have not received a response.