New York: Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran’s ambassador to the UN, reportedly met with Elon Musk, the tech billionaire and advisor to US President-elect Donald Trump, on Monday, according to the New York Times.
According to the New York Times, which quoted two Iranian officials, Musk and Iravani met for an hour at a secret location in New York to reduce tensions between the United States and Iran.
Neither Musk nor Trump’s transition team commented on the reported meeting, and Iran’s mission to the United Nations declined to respond.
A US official told CNN that Biden administration officials at the UN were not notified of the meeting and had not obtained independent confirmation that it took place.
Experts are concerned that Trump’s return may reignite the “maximum pressure” campaign, given the alleged meeting’s timing, which comes shortly after Trump’s election triumph.
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The sanctions that Trump’s government imposed during his first term affected Iran’s economy, according to analysts.
Trump’s administration imposed penalties on Iran’s financial institutions, oil exports, and widespread support for militant organizations throughout the Middle East.
Since Trump’s exit, Iran has expanded oil exports, boosted uranium enrichment, bolstered regional militias, and twice launched direct attacks on Israel.
The future of US-Iran relations is still unclear given Trump’s upcoming reelection, although some speculate that Musk’s involvement could portend a diplomatic strategy under the incoming administration.
Questions have also been raised concerning Iravani’s potential future impact on US foreign policy as a prominent Trump adviser in light of Musk’s meeting with him.
Elon Musk took part in a phone conversation between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week, in which Zelensky reportedly thanked Musk for helping Ukraine with its war efforts by supplying Starlink communication services.
Trump declared on Tuesday that Musk and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency.”
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Trump claims that the new body will offer outside counsel on government operations. But Musk’s large federal contracts with the US military, NASA, and other organizations have already raised questions about possible conflicts of interest.
The proposed agency might change federal spending and operations, but it’s uncertain if it will be supported even by a Republican-majority Congress.
