Elon Musk, the American entrepreneur and billionaire, who has been chosen to lead the newly created Department of Government Efficiency in President-elect Donald Trump’s administration, reportedly met with Iran’s UN ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani on Monday.
The meeting, which lasted more than an hour, reportedly discussed ways to ease tensions between Iran and the United States, according to two Iranian officials who spoke to The New York Times. One Iranian official claimed that Musk initiated the meeting and that the venue was chosen by the ambassador.
“He’s engaging with Iranians now,” said Sina Toossi, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, regarding Musk’s involvement.
During Donald Trump’s presidency, US-Iran relations were strained. Trump withdrew the US from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 and reimposed strict economic sanctions. In 2020, he ordered the killing of Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ elite Quds Force.
Trump has also claimed that Iran seeks to assassinate him. His strong support for Israel has further complicated the situation, increasing the risk of broader conflict between Israel and Iran. This comes as Israel faces ongoing hostilities with Iranian-backed groups Hamas and Hezbollah following the October 7 attacks last year.
Musk’s meeting with the Iranian ambassador has raised interest, as it may influence Trump’s upcoming foreign policy agenda and the future of US-Iran relations.
