Story thread · 14 reports / 14 sources

Scoop: Rubio ordered Iranian delegation to leave the country, U.S. official says

axios.com · 3h · first reportShare

Secretary of State Marco Rubio demanded on Monday that the Iranian delegation to the United Nations General Assembly immediately leave the country after negotiations stalled, according to a U.S. official and a second source with knowledge of the matter. Why it matters: Though the Iranians were likely to depart soon anyway, Rubio's move was a highly unusual diplomatic rebuke and laid bare the deep distrust between the two countries amid fruitless efforts to broker an end to the war. Qatari mediators tried to secure a diplomatic breakthrough between the U.S. and Iran but made little progress, with neither side willing to budge. Among those ordered to leave New York was Rubio's Iranian counterpart, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. What they're saying: "Secretary Rubio kicked out the Iranian delegation who had overstayed their welcome. The UN General Assembly was over, so it was time for them to go," the U.S. official said. Behind the scenes: On Monday morning, the White House thought ther