Iran Denies Musk's Involvement in Journalist Release

Iran's Foreign Ministry has dismissed claims from The New York Times that Elon Musk played a role in the release of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, labeling the report as 'media fantasy.' The report suggested Musk contacted Iran's UN ambassador to facilitate Sala's release, but Iranian officials refuted this, asserting that such claims lack credibility. Sala was arrested in Tehran last month for violating Iranian laws and was released shortly before an Iranian engineer was freed from Italy, which some have described as a 'hostage' situation. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni characterized the resolution as a complex diplomatic effort involving both Iran and the U.S., although U.S. officials stated they were not consulted on the negotiations. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby confirmed that the American government had no prior knowledge of the deal and criticized the arrangement as an Italian decision. This incident highlights ongoing tensions and the intricacies of diplomatic negotiations involving Iran.