Iran Dismisses Claims of Elon Musk’s Involvement in Journalist’s Release as “Media Fantasy”

The allegations stem from a report by The New York Times, which cited unnamed Iranian officials claiming Musk contacted Iran’s UN ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani, to facilitate Sala’s release.

Esmaeil Baghaei, the spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, strongly refuted the report on Thursday, calling it baseless. Sala, 29, was arrested in Tehran last month for allegedly violating Iranian law but was released from custody last week.

Shortly after her release, Iranian engineer Abedini Najafabadi, detained in Italy on a US extradition request, was also freed.

Najafabadi, a 38-year-old mechanical engineer and graduate of Sharif University of Technology, had been arrested at Milan Airport in December.

Iran’s Judiciary media center attributed his arrest to a “misunderstanding” that was resolved through diplomatic efforts by Iran’s Foreign Ministry and negotiations between intelligence units from both countries.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described Sala’s release as the result of “complex diplomatic triangulation” involving Iran, Italy and the United States.

However, US officials, including "National" Security Council spokesman John Kirby, distanced themselves from the exchange, with Kirby stating that the deal was “an Italian decision from soup to nuts.”

The Biden administration, reportedly uninvolved in the negotiations, expressed disapproval of the exchange. The incident also drew attention due to Musk’s alleged involvement, which Iranian officials have categorically denied.

Musk, known for his significant political influence and ties to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, has recently played a prominent role in US politics.

Musk’s connections to Trump, including substantial financial contributions to his campaign, have placed the billionaire at the center of political discourse.

Nevertheless, Tehran has firmly rejected claims of his intervention, calling them fabricated narratives by US media.