Rubio to Iranian Delegation: Leave Now
10/1/2026 7:24:39 AM
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered the Iranian delegation attending the United Nations General Assembly to leave the country immediately after negotiations stalled, according to a US official and another source familiar with the matter.
Axios quoted a US official as saying: Secretary Rubio kicked out the Iranian delegation, which had overstayed its welcome. The UN General Assembly was over, and it was time for them to leave.
According to Axios, the White House believed on Monday morning that progress could still be made in talks with Iran later that day. By late afternoon, however, it had become clear that the negotiations had reached an impasse.
On Monday evening, at Rubio’s direction, the US mission to the United Nations informed its Iranian counterpart that the delegation of Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had to leave New York immediately, according to the US official.
The Iranian delegation, including Araghchi, left for the airport a few hours later and boarded a flight from New York to Doha.
Another source told Axios that the United States had demanded the Iranian delegation’s departure, but noted that Araghchi had been scheduled to return to Tehran on Monday night anyway.
Although the Iranian delegation was due to leave soon regardless, Rubio’s move represented an unusually sharp diplomatic rebuke and underscored the depth of mistrust between the two countries amid unsuccessful efforts to end the war.
Axios quoted a US official as saying: Secretary Rubio kicked out the Iranian delegation, which had overstayed its welcome. The UN General Assembly was over, and it was time for them to leave.
According to Axios, the White House believed on Monday morning that progress could still be made in talks with Iran later that day. By late afternoon, however, it had become clear that the negotiations had reached an impasse.
On Monday evening, at Rubio’s direction, the US mission to the United Nations informed its Iranian counterpart that the delegation of Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had to leave New York immediately, according to the US official.
The Iranian delegation, including Araghchi, left for the airport a few hours later and boarded a flight from New York to Doha.
Another source told Axios that the United States had demanded the Iranian delegation’s departure, but noted that Araghchi had been scheduled to return to Tehran on Monday night anyway.
Although the Iranian delegation was due to leave soon regardless, Rubio’s move represented an unusually sharp diplomatic rebuke and underscored the depth of mistrust between the two countries amid unsuccessful efforts to end the war.