Two members of Iran’s delegation to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York were reportedly “kicked out” of the United States several days after they were asked to leave, Axios reported on Saturday, October 3, citing a US official.
On Friday, October 2, US authorities informed the Iranian mission that two diplomats were still in New York and again demanded that they leave immediately. One left that night, while the other departed on Saturday morning, according to the official.
“Secretary Rubio means business. Two more members of the Iranian delegation were found still in New York long after the UNGA had passed. They have now been kicked out of the country,” the official said.
Araghchi rejects US expulsion claim
In response, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X on Sunday, October 4, that all Iranian diplomats who attended the UNGA, except one who had departed earlier, left as scheduled.
He rejected the reported expulsions, describing the claim as a “fake” diplomatic “expulsion” and saying that portraying the departures in that manner was inconsistent with the obligations of the United States as the UN host country.
The development comes after the US State Department instructed Iran’s mission to the UN on Monday, September 28, to ensure that its entire delegation left the country immediately after the General Assembly sessions ended. The order followed an earlier directive by Secretary of State Marco Rubio for Araghchi and other members of the delegation to leave New York as diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran stalled.
Iran, however, has disputed the US account of the delegation’s departure. In a statement posted on X on Thursday, October 1, Iran’s UN mission said its delegation left New York on Monday evening according to a schedule that had been communicated to the US State Department in advance on September 17.
“The Iranian delegation left New York on Monday evening, in accordance with the schedule that had also been communicated to the US Department of State in advance on September 17,” the mission said.
The Iranian mission accused the US State Department of resorting to “baseless and worthless news” after diplomatic efforts failed to produce an agreement.
The latest development comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran as diplomatic efforts to end the war falter and concerns grow over a possible resumption of fighting.
