Rubio ordered Iranian UN delegation to leave US after talks stalled - Axios
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered Iran's delegation to the UN General Assembly to leave the United States immediately after negotiations between Washington and Tehran reached a stalemate, Axios reported, citing a U.S. official and another source familiar with the matter.
The delegation included Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Rubio's counterpart.
“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 U.S. official told Axios.
The move came Monday evening after U.S. officials had earlier believed talks with Iran might make progress that day. By late afternoon, however, the negotiations had reached a stalemate, according to Axios.
At Rubio's direction, the U.S. mission to the UN then told Iran's mission that Araghchi's delegation had to leave New York immediately.
The Iranian officials departed several hours later, boarding a flight from New York to Doha at 1:20 a.m. Tuesday. One source told Axios that Araghchi had already been scheduled to leave that night.
Axios described the U.S. demand as an unusual diplomatic rebuke that underscored tensions between Washington and Tehran as efforts to negotiate an end to the war have stalled.
Qatari mediators are continuing talks with both sides over a compromise proposal, according to the report.
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