Tehran: Iran’s foreign ministry denied claims of a meeting between its UN ambassador and Elon Musk, the world’s richest person and a close ally of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump , Iranian state media (IRNA) reported on Saturday.
During an interview with state news agency IRNA, Iranian spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei ‘categorically denied’ such a meeting and expressed ‘surprise’ at the American media report.
The New York Times reported that Elon Musk who received a post in upcoming Trump administration, met Amir Saeid Iravani, an Iranian ambassador to the UN.
Iranian newspapers, especially those linked to the reformist faction supporting President Masoud Pezeshkian, initially reported the meeting in a positive light before Baghaei’s denial.
According to Iranian officials, a meeting between Elon Musk and Iran’s envoy Amir Saeid Iravani took place at a secret location in New York on Monday and lasted over an hour. The discussion was reportedly centered on ways to ease tensions between the two countries, was reported by The Times.
The reports of the alleged meeting raised questions about Musk’s possible influence in the incoming administration, especially in shaping U.S. foreign policy.
Just a week ago, the day after the presidential election, Musk joined a call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to two sources. Trump put the call on speaker, and Zelensky thanked Musk for his support in providing communications via Starlink to Ukraine during the ongoing war with Russia, the source added.
On Tuesday, Trump announced that Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy would head a new “Department of Government Efficiency” in his second term. Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, has received billions in federal contracts, including from NASA, the military, and other U.S. agencies. The announcement quickly sparked concerns over potential conflicts of interest.
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