The New York Times reveals: Elon Musk secretly met with Iran’s ambassador

Elon Musk, a member of Trump’s new administration, met on Monday with Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Saeed Irvani, in order to discuss reducing tensions between Washington and Tehran – this was reported tonight (between Thursday and Friday) in the New York Times. The meeting, which lasted over an hour, took place in a secret location in New York York, two senior Iranian officials told the newspaper.The Iranian officials, who spoke anonymously to the American newspaper, described the meeting as “positive” and “good news”. According to the report, it was Musk who initiated the meeting, and the ambassador chose its location.

 

 

 

Two Iranian officials said on condition of anonymity that the fact that Musk is not part of the current administration in the US allowed them room for maneuver to meet him. In general, direct talks between government officials in Iran and the US are very rare, and are mostly carried out through messengers. During his election campaign, Trump made it clear that he was interested in reaching a new nuclear agreement with Iran.

 

Steven Chang, Trump’s communications director, refused to comment on the meeting and said: “We do not respond to reports of private meetings that have or have not taken place.” Musk himself did not respond to a request for comment. Carolyn Levitt, spokeswoman for the incoming administration’s transition team, said in a statement: “The American people re-elected President Trump because they trust him to lead the country and restore peace through strength around the world. When he returns to the White House, he will take the necessary actions to achieve this goal.”

According to an Iranian Foreign Ministry source quoted in the New York Times, during the meeting the Iranian ambassador told Musk that he should help prevent the imposition of new sanctions on Iran and move some of his business to Tehran.

During his first term, Trump took a hard line towards Iran. He pulled the US out of the 2015 JCPOA, which he called “a terrible, one-sided deal that should never have been signed,” and imposed heavy economic sanctions on Iranian oil revenues and international banking transactions. In addition, Trump ordered the elimination of Commander of the Revolutionary Guards, Qassem Soleimani, in Iraq in 2020.

 

 

 

In response, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei banned dialogue with the Trump administration, and Iranian officials vowed to avenge Soleimani’s death. Not this one either, according to the US Department of Justice announcement a week ago, Iran planned to assassinate Trump before the presidential election.

Despite the bad blood over the years, it seems that both sides are interested in leaving an opening for diplomacy. On Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi tweeted: “Disputes can be settled through cooperation and dialogue. We agreed to move forward with courage and goodwill. Iran has never left the negotiating table regarding its peaceful nuclear program.”

Musk, the CEO of Tesla, SpaceX and the owner of the X network, took an active part in the election campaign of the Republican president-elect. In his victory speech, Trump referred to Musk and said: “He is a character, he is special and he is very smart. We need to keep our super geniuses, we don’t have many of them.”

Elon achieving uncle status pic.twitter.com/vufSffziZN

— Kai Trump (@KaiTrump) November 10, 2024

Since the victory, Musk has been staying with Trump at his mansion in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, and has actually become one of the most influential advisers in his environment. During the week, it was even reported that Musk is participating in policy talks conducted by the president-elect with leaders around the world, including with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. On Tuesday Trump announced the appointment of Musk to head the “Office of Government Efficiency”.