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Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi rejected U.S. claims that two members of Iran’s U.N. delegation were expelled after remaining in New York beyond a departure deadline, saying all Iranian diplomats left as scheduled except one who had departed earlier.
“All Iranian diplomats who attended UNGA, except one who departed earlier, left as scheduled,” Araghchi wrote on X.
His remarks came after the U.S. State Department said Saturday that two members of the Iranian delegation had been expelled after remaining in the country despite being ordered to leave.
A U.S. official told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that two members of the Iranian delegation were found still in New York well after the U.N. General Assembly session had ended.
“They have now been kicked out of the U.S.,” the official said, describing the move as evidence that Secretary of State Marco Rubio “means business.”
According to U.S. media reports, the State Department had instructed Araghchi and his delegation to leave the country by Monday.
Officials moved to expel the two remaining delegation members after Iran’s mission to the U.N. informed Washington on Friday that they had not yet departed.
Axios reported that one of the two left New York on Friday night and the second departed Saturday morning.
Araghchi criticized the U.S. characterization of the departures as expulsions.
“Taking pride in fake diplomat ‘expulsion’ is inappropriate for the head of any diplomatic corps,” he said.
“It oozes of desperation and defeat and is inconsistent with U.N. host nation obligations,” Araghchi added.
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