Marco Rubio orders Iranian UN delegation to leave United States after negotiations stall

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered Iran's UN General Assembly delegation, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, to leave the United States immediately on September 28, 2026, after indirect negotiations in New York reached a stalemate. While US officials characterized the move as an unusual diplomatic rebuke for overstaying their welcome, Iran's UN mission denied the expulsion, claiming their departure was pre-planned. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump warned that the US would either strike a deal or "blow 'em up."

United States expulsion order

• ▪The United States mission to the United Nations, acting on instructions from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, officially informed the Iranian mission on the evening of September 28, 2026, that Iran's delegation had to leave New York immediately
• ▪United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered the Iranian delegation to the United Nations General Assembly, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, to leave the United States immediately on September 28, 2026.
• ▪The expulsion order by Secretary of State Marco Rubio was described by officials and diplomatic sources as an unusual diplomatic rebuke that highlighted the deep distrust and frustration between the United States and Iran.

Iranian denial of the expulsion

• ▪While United States officials stated that Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered the Iranian delegation to leave earlier than planned, a separate source noted that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was already scheduled to depart on the night of September 28, 2026.
• ▪The Iranian delegation to the United Nations accused the United States Department of State of propagating baseless and worthless news because indirect negotiations with the United States had achieved nothing
• ▪The Iranian delegation to the United Nations denied that they were ordered to leave, stating on October 1, 2026, that their departure on September 28, 2026, was in accordance with a schedule communicated to the United States Department of State on September 17, 2026.

Stalemate in negotiations

• ▪United States President Donald Trump publicly rejected a seven-day Iranian proposal based on the Islamabad Memorandum, though his administration subsequently shared its response with Iran
• ▪Indirect negotiations between the United States and Iran aimed at ending the US-Iran war reached a stalemate on the afternoon of September 28, 2026, after the White House had initially believed earlier that morning that progress was still possible

Araghchi's extended stay in New York

• ▪Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi remained in New York to continue indirect negotiations with the United States, holding meetings with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, United States Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner
• ▪Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian departed New York a day after speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, while Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi remained behind to participate in indirect talks with the United States

Mediation efforts by Qatar

• ▪Qatari mediators attempted to bridge gaps between the United States and Iran and secure a diplomatic breakthrough, but negotiations stalled as neither side was willing to make necessary concessions
• ▪Regional sources reported on October 1, 2026, that Qatari mediators are continuing their efforts to discuss a compromise proposal with both the United States and Iran.

Debatable claims

• ▪Continuing diplomatic negotiations with Iran does more harm than good
• ▪Rubio's expulsion of the Iranian delegation was a justified diplomatic response