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The United States has expelled two members of Iran’s delegation to the United Nations General Assembly after they remained in the country beyond an order to leave, the US State Department said.
A US official told AFP that the two Iranian delegates were still in New York several days after the General Assembly concluded and were subsequently removed from the United States.
“Two more members of the Iranian delegation were found still in New York long after the United Nations General Assembly had passed. They have now been kicked out of the US,” the official said.
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The official also said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio “means business”, signalling Washington’s determination to enforce its departure order against members of the Iranian delegation.
US media reports said the State Department had instructed Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and members of his delegation to leave the United States on Monday. The move reportedly followed consultations with Iran’s mission to the United Nations, which informed US authorities on Friday that two delegation members remained in the country.
According to Axios, one official left New York Friday night, while the second departed Saturday morning.
The expulsions follow discussions between US and Iranian officials in New York the previous week on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The meetings had raised expectations of renewed diplomatic engagement between Washington and Tehran.
However, tensions remain over several unresolved issues between the two countries, including the Strait of Hormuz. US President Donald Trump recently rejected a proposal from Tehran to reopen the strategic waterway, while also saying he expected discussions with Iran to resume in the coming days.
Iranian state news agency IRNA, however, reported that Tehran had no further direct talks with Washington scheduled.
The latest expulsions add another complication to relations between the two countries, which have remained strained despite recent diplomatic contacts. The developments also come as both sides weigh renewed negotiations while maintaining sharply different positions on key regional and security issues.
