Elon Musk was instrumental in securing the release of a young Italian journalist who was jailed in Iran on trumped up charges, it was reported on Thursday.
The involvement of Mr Musk raises questions about his diplomatic reach and exactly what role he will play in the new US administration of Donald Trump, who will be sworn in next week.
The billionaire tech entrepreneur interceded on behalf of Cecilia Sala, 29, who was arrested in December and incarcerated in the notorious Evin prison while on a reporting trip in the Islamic republic.
Her imprisonment, on vague charges of breaching Islamic law, appeared to be a tactic by the Iranian regime to use her as a bargaining chip to win the release from an Italian jail of Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi, an Iranian engineer accused of being a key part of Iran’s drone programme and of having a hand in a militia attack that killed three US servicemen at a base in Jordan last year.
There were fears that she might remain in prison, sleeping on the floor with just two blankets and no mattress, for months, until she was suddenly released earlier this month.
Ms Sala, who was arrested and jailed in Iran in December, arriving at Ciampino airport in Rome, following her release – AFP/Palazzo Chigi press office
Mr Musk, who is poised to play a major role in the incoming Trump administration, was contacted by Daniele Ranieri, Ms Sala’s boyfriend, according to the New York Times.
Mr Ranieri said he contacted Mr Musk through an intermediary – an apparent reference to Andrea Stroppa, who is described as Mr Musk’s business representative in Italy.
Ms Sala’s boyfriend said he decided to contact Mr Musk because he had heard that there was “a channel between Musk and the Iranian diplomats, and that Musk also works in close contact with Trump”.
The Tesla and Space X chief executive then held a secret meeting with Amir Saeid Iravani, the Iranian ambassador to the UN, according to Iranian officials.
Days after Ms Sala was released from prison, Italy freed Mr Abedini Najafabadi, the Iranian engineer who was being held in jail.
Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister, said last week that the release of Ms Sala had been the culmination of a “complex work of diplomatic triangulation with Iran and obviously also with the United States of America.”
Ms Meloni was pictured embracing Ms Sala following her release.
The Italian prime minister said she had no idea if Mr Musk had played any role in the journalist being brought home.
But Ms Meloni has established a strong rapport with Mr Musk and there appears to be mutual respect and admiration between them.
Ms Sala shakes hands with Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister, after the journalist was freed from detention in Iran – Filippo Attili/Reuters
She flew to the US earlier this month and held a meeting with Donald Trump, the president-elect, at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.
The trip was unexpected, and there was widespread speculation in Italy that she was on a mission to help secure Ms Sala’s liberty.
Days later, Mr Musk reportedly contacted the Iranian ambassador to the UN to discuss the case of Ms Sala.
The journalist was released from prison on Jan 8. Just four days later, Italy approved the release of Mr Abedini Najafabadi despite the fact that he had been arrested at the request of US authorities.
There were hints from Mr Stroppa, the intermediary, that Mr Musk might have been involved in the complex negotiations to free the Italian reporter.
On the day she was released, he posted an AI-generated image of Mr Musk eating spaghetti alongside an emoji of the Italian flag.
In a message on X on Wednesday, he wrote: “Many are surprised that Elon Musk is involved in government. You shouldn’t be. Leonardo da Vinci was involved in politics and government administration. Elon is the Leonardo of our times. That’s it.”
Iran’s state-owned Press TV reported the claims of Mr Musk’s involvement as a “media fantasy”, citing two Iranian officials.