Rubio orders Iran UNGA delegation to leave United States following stalled negotiations - report
The delegation included Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Rubio's Iranian counterpart, who had been involved in indirect negotiations with the United States during his stay in New York.
On Monday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio directed Iran's delegation to the UN General Assembly to depart the United States immediately, Axios reported. The delegation, including Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, had been engaged in indirect talks with the United States during their stay in New York. While the Iranians were anticipated to leave the country sooner or later, Rubio's action was seen as a strong diplomatic rebuke, given the lack of progress in negotiations for an end to the US-Iran conflict, Axios added.
The UN General Assembly had concluded, signaling the end of the delegation's time in the United States. A US official explained to Axios that Rubio had them remove the Iranian delegation, who had overstayed their welcome. Qatari mediators had been working to mend relations between Washington and Tehran, but neither party was prepared to make the necessary compromises for a deal, according to the report.
The White House believed progress could still be made in the negotiations on Monday morning, according to Axios. However, by late afternoon, US officials determined that the talks had hit a dead end. Acting on Rubio's orders, the US mission to the UN notified Iran's mission that Araghchi and the delegation needed to leave New York right away on Monday evening, reported the US official quoted by Axios.
Araghchi and other members of the delegation eventually made their way to the airport, boarding a flight from New York to Doha at 1:20 a.m. on Tuesday. A second source familiar with the situation told Axios that the US had initially requested the delegation's exit, but noted that Araghchi was already set to return to Tehran that night.
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