By Iran’s diplomatic outreach to Elon Musk, a key adviser to President-elect Donald Trump, marks what appears to be a calculated attempt to ease tensions with the incoming administration, even as both nations grapple with allegations of assassination plots and nuclear disputes.
Iran’s U.N. Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani met with Musk on Monday in New York, according to a U.S. official briefed on the meeting. The discussion, which Iran initiated, covered Tehran’s nuclear program, its support for anti-Israel groups, and potential U.S.-Iranian relations improvements, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss the non-governmental meeting.
The diplomatic overture comes as Trump assembles a foreign policy team expected to take a hard line on Iran, including Senator Marco Rubio as secretary of state and Representative Mike Waltz as national security adviser. Intelligence officials have indicated Iran opposed Trump’s reelection, viewing him as likely to escalate tensions between Washington and Tehran.
The meeting’s timing is particularly significant given recent revelations of alleged Iranian plots against Trump. The Justice Department this month charged a man who claimed an Iranian government official tasked him with planning Trump’s assassination in September. Iran’s foreign ministry denied the allegations.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Iran sent a written message to the Biden administration on October 14 pledging not to attempt to kill Trump, responding to U.S. warnings that such an action would be considered an act of war.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has long declared its commitment to pursuing Martyr Soleimani’s assassination through legal and judicial avenues, while adhering fully to the recognized principles of international law,” Iran’s U.N. mission said in a statement, referring to the Iranian general killed in a Trump-ordered strike.
The complex diplomatic dance reflects Iran’s dual approach: while Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei consistently expresses hostility toward Trump, the country’s reformist president has maintained openness to negotiations for sanctions relief.
“The American people re-elected President Trump because they trust him to lead our country and restore peace through strength around the world. When he returns to the White House, he will take the necessary action to do just that,” said Karoline Leavitt, a Trump transition spokesperson.
The meeting with Musk, recently named as an adviser on government restructuring to Trump’s incoming administration, occurred away from Iran’s U.N. mission. The Trump transition team has neither confirmed nor denied the meeting, first reported by The New York Times.
Federal officials describe ongoing Iranian efforts to target U.S. government officials on American soil, including a separate case last summer involving a Pakistani man with Iranian connections charged in a murder-for-hire plot against American officials.
The diplomatic maneuvering unfolds against the backdrop of Trump’s previous administration ending the Iran nuclear deal, reimposing sanctions, and ordering Soleimani’s killing—actions that prompted Iranian vows of revenge but now appear to be giving way to more nuanced diplomatic approaches.
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