US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ordered Iran’s UN delegation, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, to leave the United States after indirect talks with Tehran stalled.
According to US officials cited by Axios, the move came on Monday as diplomatic efforts to end the US-Iran war lost momentum.
Qatari mediators were unable to bridge major differences between Washington and Tehran.
Araghchi had remained in New York after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian left the city following his address to the UN General Assembly.
Pezeshkian took part in indirect discussions aimed at ending the conflict, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and reviving negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme.
According to Axios, the White House initially believed on Monday that further progress might still be possible. By late afternoon, US officials had concluded that the negotiations were deadlocked.
A US official told Axios: “Secretary Rubio kicked out the Iranian delegation who had overstayed their welcome. The UN General Assembly was over, so it was time for them to go.”
The US mission to the UN subsequently informed Iran’s mission that Araghchi and the delegation were required to leave New York immediately, according to the official.
Tehran disputed the US account and denied that its diplomats were expelled.
“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,” Iran’s UN mission said.
“Having achieved nothing, the State Department has resorted to propagating baseless and worthless news,” it added.
AP reported that some accounts had Araghchi scheduled to remain in New York until Wednesday, while Iran maintains that his departure had already been arranged.
Recent discussions, mediated in part by Qatar, focused on an Iranian proposal linking steps to reopen the Strait of Hormuz with a return to negotiations and measures easing US pressure on Tehran.
Reuters reported that the proposal included ending hostilities, unfreezing Iranian assets, lifting sanctions and the US blockade, while Iran would resume negotiations over its nuclear programme.
The talks followed earlier meetings on the sidelines of the General Assembly. On September 22, Iranian officials held hours of discussions with US special envoy Steve Witkoff, with Qatar helping mediate. Iranian officials subsequently signalled that Tehran could reopen the Strait of Hormuz if Washington took reciprocal steps to reduce military and economic pressure.
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