Elon Musk, the world’s richest person and a close ally of President-elect Donald Trump, met with Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations on Monday, the New York Times reported, citing two Iranian officials.
The meeting between Musk and Iranian envoy Amir Saeid Iravani was held at a secret location in New York and lasted more than an hour, the newspaper reported, citing Iranian officials, who reportedly described the discussion as focused on calming tensions. between the two countries.
THE CNN is reaching out to Musk and Trump’s transition team for comment, Iran’s UN mission declined to comment.
Biden administration officials at the UN were not notified that the meeting was taking place and have not yet received independent confirmation that it took place, a source told CNN .
The meeting comes as experts speculate how the next four years could pose a significant test for Iran.
Tehran under Trump could lead to a return to the “maximum pressure” campaign he imposed during his last presidency, which increased Iran’s isolation and damaged its economy, experts say.
Since Trump left office in 2020, Iran has increased uranium enrichment, increased its oil exports, stepped up support for regional militant groups and set a precedent by attacking Israel directly twice.
Influence of Elon Musk
The billionaire’s reported conversation with the Iranian official raises questions about how his influence might appear in the incoming administration, especially when it comes to U.S. foreign policy.
Last week, the day after the presidential election, Musk joined Trump’s call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to two sources.
Trump put the call on speakerphone and Zelensky thanked Musk for his help in providing Starlink communications to Ukraine in the ongoing war with Russia, a source added.
The president-elect announced on Tuesday (12) that Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency” in his second administration.
Musk, who is the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, has benefited from billions of dollars in federal contracts, including from NASA, the military and other US government agencies.
The announcement raised immediate concerns about potential conflicts of interest.
It is not immediately clear how the department — which Trump said would “provide advice and guidance from outside the government” — would operate, and whether a Congress, even a fully Republican-controlled one, would have the appetite to approve such a massive overhaul of government spending and operations. .
This content was originally published in Elon Musk met with Iran’s UN envoy, reports the New York Times on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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