INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Iran’& rsquo; s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on Saturday highly denied a reported meeting in between Tehran’& rsquo; s United Nations
billionaire Elon Musk, in an interview with state TV.Araqchi also alerted that Iran was “& ldquo; prepared for confrontation or
cooperation & rdquo; in its disagreement with the UN nuclear watchdog IAEA and Western countries within the body over its nuclear programme,
Reuters reported.“& ldquo; This (reported meeting) was a produced story by American media, and the motives behind this can also be
hypothesized,” & rdquo; Araqchi stated, repeating an earlier rejection by Iran’& rsquo; s Foreign Ministry.The New York Times reported
on Thursday that Musk, who is an advisor to U.S
President-elect Donald Trump, met with Iran’& rsquo; s ambassador to the United Nations on Monday.“& ldquo; In my opinion, the American
media’& rsquo; s fabrication about a meeting between Elon Musk and Iran’& rsquo; s agent is a type of testing the waters to see if the
ground for such move exists,” & rdquo; Araqchi said
& ldquo; We are still awaiting the new U.S
administration to clarify its policies, and based upon that, we will change our own policies
Now, it is neither the time for such conferences nor is it appropriate,” & rdquo; Araqchi said
& ldquo; There was no authorization from the leadership for such a meeting,” & rdquo; Araqchi said, describing Supreme Leader Ayatollah
Ali Khamenei, who has the last word in all matters of state.Relations between Tehran and the IAEA have soured over a number of long-standing
concerns, consisting of Iran disallowing the agency’& rsquo; s uranium-enrichment professionals from the country and its failure to
explain uranium traces found at undeclared sites, Reuters reported
& ldquo; Our nuclear path in the coming year will be sensitive and intricate, and we are gotten ready for confrontation or cooperation, &
rdquo; Araqchi said.He stated that the 2015 nuclear deal”, from which Trump exited in 2018 in his first term, no longer holds the very
& ldquo; If settlements begin, the nuclear pact may serve“as a referral, but it no longer has its previous significance
We must reach a practical agreement, & rdquo; Araqchi said.The post Iran denies conference in between envoy and Elon Musk initially appeared
