• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure

2

The pig in the python: Baby Boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire

3

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

1

The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure

2

The pig in the python: Baby Boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire

3

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
PoliticsElon Musk

Elon Musk met with Iran’s U.N. ambassador as Tehran may look to ease tension with Trump

By
Matthew Lee
Matthew Lee
,
Edith M. Lederer
Edith M. Lederer
, and
The Associated Press
The Associated Press
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Matthew Lee
Matthew Lee
,
Edith M. Lederer
Edith M. Lederer
, and
The Associated Press
The Associated Press
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 16, 2024, 9:44 AM ET
Elon Musk at podium
Elon Musk speaks during an America First Policy Institute gala on Thursday in Palm Beach, Fla.Alex Brandon—AP Photo

Iran successfully sought a meeting with Elon Musk, according to a U.S. official, one in a series of steps that appeared aimed at easing tensions with President-elect Donald Trump.

Recommended Video

Iran’s U.N. Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani met with Musk — a Trump ally named this week to advise his administration on ways to cut the federal government — on Monday in New York, according to a U.S. official briefed on the meeting by a foreign colleague.

The official said he had been informed that the discussion covered a variety of topics, most notably Iran’s nuclear program, its support for anti-Israel groups throughout the Middle East and prospects for improved relations with the United States.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a non-U.S. governmental meeting, said no immediate decisions were taken by either side. The official said the Iranians sought the meeting with Musk, the world’s richest man, and that it did not take place at the Iranian mission to the U.N.

The Trump transition team would not confirm or deny the meeting, which was first reported by The New York Times.

“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,” Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for the Trump transition, said in a statement.

However, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported on Saturday that Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei denied the country’s U.N. Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani met with Musk in New York and expressed surprise at the extensive media coverage by American outlets on this matter.

Iran’s outreach comes as Trump has been announcing picks for key foreign policy posts — including Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state and Rep. Mike Waltz for national security adviser — who are expected to be tough on Iran.

Intelligence officials have said Iran opposed Trump’s second term, seeing him as more likely to increase tension between Washington and Tehran. Trump’s administration ended a nuclear deal with Iran, reimposed sanctions and ordered the killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, an act that prompted Iran’s leaders to vow revenge.

The Justice Department this month revealed an Iranian murder-for-hire plotto kill Trump, charging a man who said he had been tasked by an Iranian government official in September with planning Trump’s assassination. The Iranian foreign ministry rejected the report.

The plot was part of what federal officials have described as ongoing efforts by Iran to target U.S. government officials, including Trump, on U.S. soil. Last summer, for instance, the Justice Department charged a Pakistani man with ties to Iran in a murder-for-hire plot targeting American officials.

Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing unnamed U.S. officials, that Iran told the Biden administration in a written message delivered on Oct. 14 that it would not try to kill Trump. It was a response to an earlier warning from the U.S. that an attempt on Trump’s life would be considered an act of war, the Journal reported.

In response to inquiries about reports in the Journal and other outlets, Iran’s U.N. mission said it does not issue public statements about “official messages exchanged between the two countries.”

“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,” its statement said.

While Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has final say on all matters of state, has repeatedly expressed his own disgust with Trump, Iran’s new reformist president has kept the door open to talks with Trump to seek relief from international sanctions.

The Trump transition team did not respond to messages seeking comment on the Iranian mission’s statement Friday.

Subscribe to Fortune Gulf Brief. Every Tuesday, this new newsletter will deliver clear-eyed, authoritative intelligence on the deals, decisions, policies, and power shifts shaping one of the world’s most consequential regions, written for the people who need to act on it. Sign up here.
About the Authors
By Matthew Lee
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Edith M. Lederer
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By The Associated Press
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Politics

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Politics

pp
PoliticsElections
Graham Platner runs controversial ad during Red Sox game vowing to ‘reverse the private equity curse’
By Patrick Whittle, Kimberlee Kruesi, Kyle Hightower and The Associated PressMay 26, 2026
29 minutes ago
Pope Leo XIV presenting his 'AI encyclical' at the Vatican in Rome. The Pope, dressed in white, is sitting in a large chair with a laptop open in front of him and flowers arranged on the table in front of the laptop,
NewslettersEye on AI
Pope Leo’s ‘AI encyclical’ says a lot. But critics say it misses the mark
By Jeremy KahnMay 26, 2026
3 hours ago
indonesia
AsiaIndonesia
Indonesia jolts China with ‘hostile takeover’ of key commodities in American-influenced move
By Edna Tarigan, Anton L. Delgado and The Associated PressMay 26, 2026
5 hours ago
ss
PoliticsWorld Cup
Mexico’s Sheinbaum confirms U.S. asked Iran’s World Cup team to move to Tijuana
By The Associated PressMay 26, 2026
5 hours ago
sa
Politicsimpeachment
How $580,000 hidden under a sofa cushion became a constitutional crisis in South Africa
By Gerald Imray and The Associated PressMay 26, 2026
5 hours ago
t
PoliticsIran
Iran slams U.S. strikes as sign of ‘bad faith and unreliability’
By The Associated PressMay 26, 2026
5 hours ago

Most Popular

The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure
Travel & Leisure
The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure
By Catherina GioinoMay 25, 2026
1 day ago
The pig in the python: Baby Boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire
Economy
The pig in the python: Baby Boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire
By Nick LichtenbergMay 25, 2026
1 day ago
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Success
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
By Preston ForeMay 21, 2026
5 days ago
A billionaire and an A-list actor found refuge in a 37-home Florida neighborhood with armed guards—proof that privacy is now the ultimate luxury
Real Estate
A billionaire and an A-list actor found refuge in a 37-home Florida neighborhood with armed guards—proof that privacy is now the ultimate luxury
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 25, 2026
1 day ago
Elon Musk's best friend could make more than $100 billion from SpaceX's IPO. His firm is also owed billions by SpaceX
Investing
Elon Musk's best friend could make more than $100 billion from SpaceX's IPO. His firm is also owed billions by SpaceX
By Eva RoytburgMay 25, 2026
1 day ago
The Supreme Court handed Trump a Golden Chariot on tariffs — now he just has to take it
Commentary
The Supreme Court handed Trump a Golden Chariot on tariffs — now he just has to take it
By Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven TianMay 26, 2026
9 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.