After Negotiations Stalled.. Rubio Demands Iranian Delegation Leave America

Washington - Afaq News - Secretary of State Marco Rubio demanded that the Iranian delegation participating in the United Nations General Assembly leave the country immediately following the breakdown of negotiations, according to an American official and another source familiar with the matter.

Axios reported that an American official said: "Secretary Rubio expelled the Iranian delegation, which had exceeded the allowed duration of its stay; the United Nations General Assembly had concluded, and it was time for them to leave."

According to Axios, there was a belief on Monday morning in the White House that progress could be made in talks with Iran later that day, but by late afternoon, it became clear that negotiations had reached a deadlock.

On Monday evening, based on Rubio's orders, the U.S. mission to the United Nations informed its Iranian counterpart that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi's delegation needed to leave New York immediately, according to the American official.

The Iranian delegation - including Araghchi - left for the airport after a few hours and boarded a flight that departed from New York to Doha at 1:20 AM on Tuesday.

Axios reported from another source that the United States demanded the departure of the Iranian delegation, but noted that Araqchi was scheduled to return to Tehran on Monday night in any case.

Although the Iranian delegation was set to leave soon anyway, Rubio's move represented a rather unusual diplomatic rebuke and revealed the depth of mistrust between the two countries amid efforts that have not yielded results to end the war.