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AtlanticNov 09
Report: Elon Musk Met with Iran's UN Ambassador
Above: Elon Musk departs the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill where Pres.-elect Donald Trump spoke to House Republicans on Nov. 13, 2024 in Washington, DC. Image copyright: Kent Nishimura/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
A day before being appointed by Pres.-elect Donald Trump as one of the leaders of a soon-to-be Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Elon Musk met with Iran's ambassador to the UN, according to a New York Times report published Thursday.
Two Iranian officials who spoke to the Times on the condition of anonymity described the Monday meeting between Musk and Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani in New York as a discussion of how to defuse tensions between Iran and the US.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
An unlikely figure has emerged to play a central role in Trump's coming presidency — Elon Musk. Having broached this meeting with the Iranians and reports that he joined Trump's call with Zelenskyy last week, it's clear that Musk has Trump's ear, at least for the time being.
Establishment-critical narrative
While it's a big deal that Musk spoke to the Iranians, Trump's relationship with Tehran couldn't be much worse. After pulling out of the nuclear deal, the sanctions, and the killing of Qassim Soleimani, now the Iranians are reportedly seeking to assassinate him — if the ODNI is to be believed.