Rubio Orders Iranian Delegation to Leave the US Immediately After Negotiations Stall

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has instructed the Iranian delegation participating in the United Nations General Assembly meetings to leave the United States, following a deadlock in negotiations between Washington and Tehran, according to Axios, citing U.S. officials.

A U.S. official told Axios that Rubio asked the Iranian delegation to depart, noting that the General Assembly’s work had concluded and it was time for them to leave. The website clarified that the delegation was expected to depart shortly anyway.

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According to Axios, the White House believed on Monday morning that there was a chance to make progress in talks with Iran later that same day. However, by late afternoon, it became clear that negotiations had reached an impasse.

This development came as Qatari mediators continued their efforts to bridge differences between Washington and Tehran, after holding talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his delegation in New York, without achieving a tangible breakthrough in the negotiations.

Following the stall in talks, Rubio instructed the U.S. Mission to the United Nations to inform the Iranian mission that Araghchi’s delegation was required to leave New York, according to the U.S. official who spoke to Axios.

Araghchi and his accompanying delegation left New York on Tuesday, while indirect communications between Washington and Tehran continued through Qatari mediation.

Before departing New York, Araghchi announced that discussions with Qatari mediators had covered ideas that would be conveyed to the U.S. side, with Tehran to receive Washington’s response through the mediators.

Reuters later reported that Iran had received a U.S. response to its latest proposal via Qatar, while disagreements persisted regarding the sequencing of steps required from both sides.