US Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered Iran’s delegation to the United Nations General Assembly, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, to leave the United States after diplomatic negotiations reached an impasse, a US official confirmed to Anadolu on Wednesday.
According to Axios, which first reported the development, the US Mission to the United Nations informed Iran’s UN mission late Monday that, on Rubio’s instructions, the Iranian delegation was required to leave New York “immediately.”
Citing a US official, Axios reported that the delegation had “stayed beyond its welcome,” with the official saying that the UN General Assembly had concluded and it was therefore time for the Iranian representatives to leave.
The delegation reportedly boarded a flight from New York to Doha at 1:20 a.m. local time on Tuesday, according to the US official cited by Axios. A second source said Araghchi had already been scheduled to travel to Tehran on Monday evening.
The development came after the White House had anticipated possible progress in negotiations with Iran on Monday morning. By late afternoon, however, it had become clear that the talks had reached a deadlock, according to the report.
Qatari mediators are continuing discussions with both sides on a potential compromise proposal, Axios reported, citing regional sources.
The United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran on February 28. Tehran responded with missile and drone attacks across the region and effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy shipping route.
Efforts to end the conflict have continued since the United States and Iran signed a memorandum in June outlining immediate steps to restore freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and address Iran’s nuclear program.
The reported expulsion of the Iranian delegation comes as diplomatic efforts remain focused on finding a framework to de-escalate the conflict and resolve outstanding issues between Washington and Tehran.
