Elon Musk joined a phone call between Donald Trump and Narendra Modi about the war in Iran, according to a report.
The US president and India’s prime minister held a phone call on Tuesday where they discussed the escalating crisis in the Middle East, and the Iranian military’s control of the Strait of Hormuz, The New York Times reported.
There was no official mention on the day that the Space X billionaire, a private citizen, was on the call.
Two US officials confirmed Musk’s appearance on the call to The New York Times anonymously because they were not authorised to speak publicly, the paper reported.
India has been one of the worst affected countries in Asia by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, as it is heavily dependent on oil imports from the region.
Modi said that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open and accessible in a social media post on Tuesday: “Ensuring that the Strait of Hormuz remains open, secure and accessible is essential for the whole world.
“We agreed to stay in touch regarding efforts towards peace and stability.”
It remains unclear why the world’s richest man was on the call, or whether he spoke, but his presence suggests he may be on better terms with the president, after they fell out last summer following Musk’s departure from government.
The duo appear to have resolved their differences in recent months.
Musk has stayed uncharacteristically quiet about the Iran war on X, the social media platform he owns. Responding to a post questioning why so many countries relied on the Strait of Hormuz as part of their global supply chains, the billionaire wrote: “We got lazy.”
Prior to the war, Musk’s Starlink technology was vital on the ground in Iran during the Islamic Republic’s internet blackouts.
The Trump administration reportedly smuggled thousands of Starlink terminals into Iran following the regime’s violent crackdown on demonstrations in January.
President Trump was reportedly aware of the deliveries, but it remains unclear whether he or someone else directly approved the plans.
Owning a Starlink terminal is illegal in Iran and risks years in prison, although Musk reportedly waived monthly subscription payments for users inside Iran last month following the government’s internet crackdown.
The Independent has contacted SpaceX and the White House for comment.
