United States President-elect Donald Trump’s close ally Elon Musk allegedly held a meeting with Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, just one day before the Republican appointed him as the head of the new US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
According to a report by The New York Times, two Iranian officials familiar with the matter said that Musk met with Iranian Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani on November 11. During the meeting, which lasted over an hour, the two leaders discussed ways to ease tensions between Iran and the US.
One of the officials said Musk had requested the meeting, while the ambassador selected the location. The Iranians called the meeting “positive” and “good news,” according to The New York Times.
When asked if this meeting happened, Steven Cheung, communications director for Trump, told NYT, “We do not comment on reports of private meetings that did or did not occur.”
Relations between the US and Iran during the previous Trump presidency were tense, to say the least. Trump, who previously served as the US president from 2017 to 2021, imposed new sanctions on Iran in 2018 after pulling out of a 2015 nuclear deal that had eased economic restrictions on Tehran in return for limits on its nuclear programme.
In another blow to Iran, Trump also ordered the drone strike that killed Qassem Soleimani, a high-ranking Iranian military official, in January 2020 in Iraq. In a speech in New York last September, Trump indicated openness to new nuclear negotiations. “We have to make a deal because the consequences are impossible. We have to make a deal,” the Republican had said.
Important & straightforward talks with DG @rafaelmgrossi this morning.
As a committed member of NPT we continue our full cooperation with the IAEA. Differences can be resolved through cooperation and dialogue. We agreed to proceed with courage and good will.
Iran has never… pic.twitter.com/bwLLzrKzwE
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) November 14, 2024
×
On Thursday, (Nov 14) Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, shared a post on X, stating, “As a committed member of NPT we continue our full cooperation with the IAEA. Differences can be resolved through cooperation and dialogue. We agreed to proceed with courage and goodwill. Iran has never left the negotiation table on its peaceful nuclear program. The ball is in the EU/E3 court. Willing to negotiate based on our national interest & our inalienable rights, but NOT ready to negotiate under pressure and intimidation.”
Araghchi’s post followed a meeting he held with Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
(With inputs from agencies)