Musk seeks diplomatic breakthrough in high-stakes Iran talks
According to the New York Times, Elon Musk met with Iran's ambassador to the UN to discuss ways to ease tensions between Iran and the United States. The meeting took place a day before Donald Trump appointed Musk as head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency.
6:33 AM EST, November 15, 2024
According to two Iranian officials who spoke with the New York Times, the Tesla CEO initiated the meeting, and the Iranian ambassador chose the location.
Musk, the richest person in the world, actively participates in discussions with foreign representatives, becoming one of the country's most influential civilians.
At the beginning of the month, Musk participated in a conversation between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Now, Musk is engaging in dialogue with Iran, which may be groundbreaking, as Iran has not conducted direct negotiations with Americans since Trump withdrew from the nuclear agreement.
"We’re on the brink of an all-out regional war," said Sina Toossi, a senior analyst at the Center for International Policy. "To restart this process, Trump is going to need technical experts on the nuclear issue, on the regional issue, to have working groups, to have honest interlocutors, and good-faith negotiators."
Strained relations with Iran
Trump's relations with Iran are tense. During his presidency, he withdrew the U.S. from the 2015 nuclear agreement and imposed strict economic sanctions on Iran. In 2020, he ordered an attack that killed General Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the elite Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guard. In September, intelligence information was revealed indicating that Iran planned an attack on Trump.
The situation is complicated by Trump's strong support for Israel, which could lead to open war between Israel and Iran. Since the attack on October 7 last year, Israel has been conducting operations against Iran-supported organizations Hamas and Hezbollah.
Iran's Foreign Minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, wrote on the X platform on Thursday:
"Differences can be resolved through cooperation and dialogue. We agreed to proceed with courage and good will. Iran has never left the negotiation table on its peaceful nuclear program."
Although Musk may be more pragmatic on foreign policy issues, Toossi emphasizes that this may not be enough to improve relations between Washington and Tehran.
