Rubio ordered Iranian delegation to leave the country, including Araghchi: Report

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio demanded earlier this week that that the Iranian delegation to the United Nations General Assembly including Iran’s foreign minister immediately leave the country after negotiations stalled, Axios reported on Thursday.

The report cited a US official and a second source with knowledge of the matter adding that the developments took place on Monday.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was among those ordered to leave New York, Axios added.

“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 US official said.

Mediators have tried to secure a diplomatic breakthrough between the US and Iran but made little progress.

The report noted although the Iranian delegation was likely to depart soon, Rubio’s move was an unusual diplomatic rebuke and reflected the tension between both countries.

“On Monday morning, the White House thought there might be progress in talks with Iran later in the day. But by late afternoon it became clear negotiations were at a stalemate,” the report claimed.

On Monday evening, at Rubio’s orders, the US mission to the UN told the Iranian mission to the UN that Araghchi’s delegation had to leave New York immediately, Axio said citing the US official.

“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.”

The second source confirmed that the US demanded that the Iranian delegation leave, but said Araghchi was scheduled to travel back to Tehran on Monday night anyway.

Axios said that Qatari mediators were continuing to talk to both sides about their compromise proposal, according to regional sources.

This comes as US President Donald Trump threated more attacks against Iran.

“Maybe I will blow ‘em up,” Trump told reporters on Wednesday when asked how he can reach a deal with a regime he says is crazy. “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.”