Iran's foreign minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, has rejected reports that two Iranian diplomats were “kicked out” of the United States after the UN General Assembly, saying that members of Tehran’s delegation left the country as scheduled.
Araghchi hit out at the reports in a post on X on Sunday, calling the reported “expulsion” fake and accusing those celebrating it of showing “desperation and defeat”.
“All Iranian diplomats who attended UNGA, except one who departed earlier, left as scheduled,” Araghchi said.
He was responding to an Axios report that two members of Iran’s delegation to the UN General Assembly in New York had been “kicked out” of the US after allegedly failing to comply with an order from the US state department to leave the country.
Sharing a screenshot of the report, Araghchi criticised the characterisation of the diplomats’ departure and said such claims were inappropriate.
“Taking pride in fake diplomat "expulsion" is inappropriate for the head of any diplomatic corps. It oozes of desperation and defeat and is inconsistent with UN host nation obligations,” the Iranian foreign minister said.
According to Axios, the US state department had earlier directed Iran’s mission to the UN to ensure that its entire delegation left the country immediately after the General Assembly sessions ended.
‘Secretary Rubio means business’
{{/usCountry}}According to Axios, the US state department had earlier directed Iran’s mission to the UN to ensure that its entire delegation left the country immediately after the General Assembly sessions ended.
‘Secretary Rubio means business’
{{/usCountry}}The US news outlet's report said two members of the delegation remained in New York despite the order. The Iranian mission was informed on Friday that US authorities knew the two diplomats were still in the city and Washington reiterated its demand that they leave immediately.
“Secretary Rubio means business. 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 country,” a US official told Axios.
One of the two Iranian diplomats left New York on Friday night, while the second departed on Saturday morning, the report added.
The conflicting accounts come as diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran face fresh uncertainty.
US and Iranian officials had met in New York the previous week on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. US President Donald Trump has rejected a proposal from Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, while saying he expected talks between Washington and Tehran to resume in the coming days.
Iranian state news agency IRNA, however, reported that Tehran had no further direct talks scheduled with Washington.