In the latest surprising development accompanying Donald Trump's return to the presidency, the New York Times has reported that Trump advisor Elon Musk quietly met with Iran's United Nations ambassador on Monday to discuss how the United States and Iran might ease tensions.
News of Musk's peace-seeking overture came after Trump caused widespread dismay among America-First conservatives and libertarians by nominating an assortment of anti-Iran hawks and zealous backers of the State of Israel to important foreign policy and national security positions. Those selectees included Sen. Marco Rubio for Secretary of State, Fox News host Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense, and New York Representative and campus speech-policer Elise Stefanik for UN ambassador.
Given Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's long-held ambition to enmesh America in a war with Iran, Trump's decision to surround himself with extreme advocates for Israel dampened hopes that he would make good on his campaign pledge to bring peace to a long-smoldering Middle East that's been ravaged by escalating and widening warfare since the Oct. 7 2023 Hamas invasion of southern Israel. However, the revelation of Musk's meeting with Iranian UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani bolstered hopes of an earnest Trump pursuit of "peace through strength."
According to the Times report, which cited anonymous Iranian officials, the meeting was initiated by Musk, and was held at a secret New York location of the Iranians' choosing. The Iranians characterized the discussion as "positive" and "good news." Iravani was said to have made a direct business appeal to the world's richest man, urging him to pursue an exception to America's dense thicket of sanctions that bar companies from doing business with Iran.
Trump communications director Steven Cheung deflected an inquiry about the meeting: “We do not comment on reports of private meetings that did or did not occur,” he said. However, transition team spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt issued a statement that seemed to implicitly confirm the meeting, telling the 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.”
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi took to social media on Wednesday to reiterate his government's interest in pursuing peace. Following a meeting with International Atomic Energy Agency director general Rafael Mariano Grossi, Araghchi wrote, “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.”
"The reason why Elon’s outreach is so important is that Tehran is on the cusp of deciding whether to prepare for Trump’s sanctions escalation by expanding Iran’s nuclear and missile program and potentially even retaliating against Israel’s October 26 strikes through a massive attack on the country," wrote the Quincy Institute's Trita Parsi on X. "This could, of course, set off a major war that could engulf the US."
During his first administration, Trump -- who has received $200 million in campaign contributions from pro-Israel billionaires -- withdrew the United States from a painstakingly-negotiated agreement between Iran and several Western nations that imposed unprecedented restrictions and transparency on the country's nuclear program. Iran remains a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Meanwhile, Israel -- which possesses an estimated 90 or more nuclear warheads -- has refused to join, which makes every dollar of American aid to Israel illegal under US law.
Trump also ordered the assassination of Iranian general Qassim Suleimani, a move that was condemned at the time by Tulsi Gabbard, whom Trump this week selected to serve as his Director of National Intelligence. Calling it an "illegal and unconstitutional act of war," Gabbard asked, "Is our country’s national security better off because of Donald Trump’s actions and decision? And the answer to that is no."
Musk's involvement in high-stakes Middle East diplomacy underscores the extraordinary role he's playing in the Trump transition, as the Times noted:
Mr. Musk has emerged as the most powerful private citizen in the Trump transition, and has sat in on nearly every job interview. During a call last week with Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, the president-elect handed the phone to the billionaire. Mr. Musk has played a key role in providing communications capability to Ukraine in the war with Russia.
Given his early personnel decisions, Trump will face intense pressure from aggressive interventionists in the mold of his previous national security advisor John Bolton. To an even greater extent than before, his new administration will pit America First principles against what George Washington would have characterized as a dangerous, "passionate attachment" to Israel.
It's something like an immovable object meeting an unstoppable force. To ensure America First prevails, here's hoping Musk can quickly demonstrate a mastery of political science that's as extraordinary as his command of the physical sciences -- millions of lives and trillions of dollars hang in the balance.