Iran Denies Reported Meeting Between Elon Musk and UN Envoy

November 16, 2024: Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has strongly denied a report claiming that U.S. billionaire Elon Musk met with Iran’s United Nations ambassador, calling it a “fabricated story” by American media. In an interview with Iranian state TV, Araqchi dismissed the claims as an attempt to “test the waters” and speculated about the motives behind the report, which was published by The New York Times.

The article, which ran on Thursday, said Musk—who is an adviser to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump—had met with Iran’s UN ambassador on Monday. Araqchi reiterated that the story was false, and stated that Iran is still waiting for the incoming U.S. administration to clarify its stance on Iran, particularly regarding the country’s nuclear program.

Araqchi also addressed the ongoing tensions with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Western nations, warning that Iran is “prepared for confrontation or cooperation” over its nuclear activities. He added that, given the current diplomatic climate, meetings of this nature are neither timely nor appropriate.