US-Iran tensions: Tehran rejects Washington’s claims about the expulsion of its delegation from New York

Iran’s delegation to the UN General Assembly rejected reports that it had been expelled from the US, saying its departure was part of an itinerary planned in advance and communicated to the American authorities several weeks earlier.

Meanwhile, a US official said on Wednesday that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had ordered the Iranian diplomats to leave after the negotiations had stalled.

The US Mission to the UN notified the Iranian mission on Monday evening, on Rubio’s orders, that the delegation of Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had to leave New York “immediately”, according to Axios, which first reported the development.

Citing a US official, Axios reported that the Iranian delegation had “overstayed its welcome” and that “the UN General Assembly had ended, so it was time for them to leave”.

“The Iranian delegation left New York on Monday evening, in accordance with the schedule that had been communicated in advance to the US Department of State as well, on September 17”, Iran’s Mission to the UN said in a statement.

“Having achieved nothing, the State Department resorted to spreading baseless and worthless news”, the mission added, rejecting the American claims about the delegation’s departure.

According to the US official, cited by Axios, the delegation flew from New York to Doha at 01:20 local time on Tuesday.

According to the report, the White House had expected possible progress in the talks with Iran on Monday morning, but by late afternoon it had become clear that the negotiations had reached a deadlock.

Meanwhile, mediators from Qatar are continuing talks with both sides on a compromise proposal, Axios reported, citing regional sources.

The US and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28. Tehran responded with missile and drone attacks across the region and, in practice, closed the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic route for energy supplies.

Efforts to end the conflict have continued since June, when the US and Iran signed a memorandum setting out immediate steps to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and address Iran’s nuclear programme.