Italy FM denies Musk’s involvement in journalist’s release from Iran
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Musk, who has been a prominent supporter of US President-elect Donald Trump, claimed on Thursday to have played “a small role” in the release process.
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Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk listens as Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event at the Butler Farm Show, on Oct. 5, 2024, in Butler, Pa (AP)
Tech mogul Elon Musk played no part in the negotiations between Italy and Iran to secure the release of an Italian journalist detained in Tehran, Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stated on Friday, denying media reports suggesting otherwise.
29-year-old Italian journalist Cecilia Sala returned to Italy last week following her detention for "violating Iran's law" last month during a reporting trip. Shortly after her release, Italy freed Iranian engineer Abedini Najafabadi who had been arrested in Milan on a US warrant just days before Sala was imprisoned.
Najafabadi, a graduate of Sharif University of Technology, was arrested on December 16 while traveling through Milan Airport. Iran’s Judiciary media center described his arrest as a “misunderstanding” resolved through diplomatic efforts and intelligence cooperation between Iran and Italy.
"Musk ... has nothing to do with Cecilia Sala's case. He played no role. The case was settled by the Italian government," Tajani told SkyTG24.
The New York Times had reported earlier that Musk had contributed to Sala’s release by contacting Iran's ambassador to the United Nations at the request of Sala’s partner.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a known associate of Musk, told reporters on January 9 that she had no information suggesting the billionaire was involved in the case.
She referred to Sala’s release as the result of "complex work of diplomatic triangulation with Iran, and obviously also with the United States of America."
Musk, who has been a prominent supporter of US President-elect Donald Trump, claimed on Thursday to have played “a small role” in the release process. On his social media platform X, he said, "I did not have any interaction with Iran. Just recommended support from the U.S. side."
Sala’s release came three days after Meloni made a surprise trip to Florida to meet with Trump. Reuters cited an Italian political source as saying that the visit was influential in securing Sala’s release.
Tehran rejects reports of Musk’s role as ‘media fantasy’
On its part, Iran’s Foreign Ministry dismissed claims of Musk’s involvement in Sala’s release as “prevarication and media fantasy.”
Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei criticized The New York Times report, which alleged Musk contacted Iran’s UN ambassador to facilitate the journalist’s release.
A senior US official from President Joe Biden’s administration confirmed that the American government was neither consulted nor informed in advance about the negotiations and opposed the swap.
National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby remarked that the deal was "an Italian decision from soup to nuts."
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