Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchi, addresses the media at a press conference during the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), at UN headquarters in New York City, US, Sept. 25, 2026. (Credit: Bing Guan/Reuters)
BEIRUT — The United States and Iran gave conflicting accounts Thursday over the departure of Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his delegation from New York, with Axios reporting that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered them to leave the country after negotiations stalled, while Iran's U.N. mission said the delegation had departed according to a previously communicated schedule.
According to Axios, citing a U.S. official and a second source familiar with the matter, Rubio ordered the Iranian delegation to leave New York immediately on Monday evening "after it became clear that negotiations had reached a stalemate."
"Secretary Rubio kicked out the Iranian delegation who had overstayed their welcome. The U.N. General Assembly was over, so it was time for them to go," the U.S. official told Axios. The Iranian delegation, including Araghchi, left for the airport several hours later and boarded a flight from New York to Doha at 1:20 a.m. Tuesday, according to Axios.
A second source cited by the outlet also confirmed that Washington had demanded the delegation leave, but said Araghchi had been scheduled to return to Tehran on Monday night anyway.
Iran denies U.S. account
The Iranian mission to the United Nations rejected the account Thursday, saying the delegation had left New York according to a previously communicated schedule.
"The Iranian delegation left New York on Monday evening, in accordance with the schedule that had also been communicated to the U.S. Department of State in advance on September 17," the mission said in a post on X. "Having achieved nothing, the State Department has resorted to propagating baseless and worthless news," it added.
Axios reported that Qatari mediators had sought to secure a diplomatic breakthrough between Washington and Tehran but made little progress, with neither side willing to change its position.
According to the outlet, the White House initially believed Monday morning that progress could be made in talks later that day, but that by the afternoon negotiations had reached a stalemate. Qatari mediators are continuing to hold talks with both sides over a compromise proposal, according to regional sources cited by Axios.
U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters Wednesday about the possibility of reaching an agreement with Iran, said, "Maybe I will blow 'em up. Maybe I blow 'em up. We have to make that decision. We will blow 'em up or make a deal. But the time is coming. It's gonna end very soon one way or the other."
